Artemis Fowl and the Ultimate Sacrifice
by Academician
Summary: Artemis has a plan, to give the fairies a world of their own. But to do it he’ll need their magic and their help to start world war three… No Spoilers for TTP. Home Sweet Home!
1. Artemis Fowl and the Ultimate Sacrifice

I own very little! I certainly don't own Artemis Fowl or any other characters created by Eoin Colfer. However unfortunate.

---Four Years Previous---

"So from the soil samples, we can at least postulate that Mars held an atmosphere capable of sustaining life. Complex life too, though it is unlikely that it held the atmosphere long enough for complex life forms to evolve. We know it was near this time that the core of Mars cooled to a solid mass."

The Dutch tones filled the large hall, filled with prominent scientist and university professors with more than a few glazed expressions donning the learned gentlemen's faces. There was, however, a young man sitting near the rear of the hall though still close enough to hear the lecturer quite clearly. He was a pale youth sat aside a veritable mountain of muscle.

A quite unlikely couple, the youth sat absorbed in the lecture with rapt attention, whereas the Eurasian man sat almost imperceptibly scanning each and every exit and vantage point that had even the remote chance of a clear shot at their current location.

"Butler, though I would never directly instruct you to relax, since I know it one of the very few things you are physically incapable of doing. Know this," the youth began without removing his gaze from the man on the lecture stage below, "the most likely location for any kind of assault is the skylight at three o'clock and forty seven degrees inclination."

"Oh really?" Of course the bodyguard had anticipated this though he thought the curtain behind the lecture stage which had access to a backstage exit would be prime for a sniper. Or the projector room to their right has a tinted screen which would be ideal if the attacker wished at remain anonymous, which they often do.

"The skylight has access to the roof, for an easy, unhindered getaway and from there to a waiting vehicle. It is doubtful that anyone would expect a shot from above and so the element of surprise and lastly the would-be sniper has the best possible shot from such a vantage point. Indeed the only possible hindrance that the aforementioned sniper may encounter is the proficiency with which you do your job," Artemis finished.

"You are right, of course. However, with your permission, I will assume they are not the best at what they do and have an I Q significantly less than yours and prepare for all possible occurrences."

"That, old friend, is your prerogative."

"...between one hundred and twenty and one hundred and thirty million years ago..."

---Present Day---

Twins!

Butler hit the last digit of Fowl manor's telephone number and the handset rung in his ear.

Artemis Fowl's mind processed the new information and reacted swiftly.

"Butler wait!"

Butler's smile faltered, "Artemis!"

"You have my word, old friend, I will meet my parents and explain everything," Artemis said quickly. The phone rang again in Butler's ear.

"Tell my parents that you have hear word of my whereabouts in South America and you are leaving immediately to investigate," Artemis instructed. Butler stared directly into his -former- employer's eyes. Then his resolve broke, he'd been taking orders from this particular Fowl for as long as their relationship had existed and he wasn't going to stop anytime soon, it also didn't help that Artemis had once saved his life.

The phone was answered by Angeline Fowl.

"Hello?"

"Mrs Fowl, Butler here. I've heard word about Artemis's whereabouts. Now, I don't want to get your hopes up but I'm calling to tell you that I'm heading to South America to investigate the claim."

"Butler, we've heard so many rumours over the years…"

"This came from a very reliable source, ma'am."

"Very well, I'll inform the family. And Butler, you know you have the full support of the Fowl estate if you need it."

"Thank you, ma'am. Please inform Minerva for me."

"Certainly and good luck Butler."

Butler didn't look at his charge as he put the phone down.

"I'm sorry Butler but there is just one more thing I need to do. Give me three days, that's all I ask."

"Certainly Artemis," Butler said still not meeting his employer's eye.


	2. Future Shock

_Chapter 2: Future Shock_

After the four hour debriefing, the main highlight of which was the mention of Artemis acquiring some magical ability, Holly had been released to 'acclimatize to being three years out of time' as the Council had put it. It was a full session of Council which debriefed her, due to the fact her 'mission' had affected all the fairy people and introduced a major population increase in the form of an -as of yet undetermined number- of Demons.

The Council were predictably worried at the prospect of a magically endowed Artemis Fowl but breathed a collective sigh of relief when Holly explained it was only temporary. Then, of course, there was Foaly. (Who had been listening and even watching the -private- debriefing. Though strict interpretation of fairy law stated this wasn't _illegal_.)

"That cunning little-" Foaly said as he ambled along side Holly on their post-debriefing stroll.

"Yes Foaly, can we talk about the less recent past?"

"Sorry Holly, it's just I knew- well I thought I knew just how smart that Fowl really was then he turns round and does this," Foaly continued, the very image of indignity.

Holly fazed out, she knew that when Foaly stopped talking long enough to notice that Holly wasn't listening he'd address her directly. Haven had changed, she couldn't see it as much a sense it. It had moved on, moved in the normal flow of time. She had not and that frightened her. It frightened her because it isolated her, made her different.

"-but you know what Holly I think Haven is all the better to have you back," Foaly said addressing her but something had caught Holly's eye. An tree, older even than she. Though, she wasn't really that old for a fairy, I mean she'd be eligible to vote soon…

Holly went over and laid her palm against the rough bark of the tree. She felt the magic in her veins sparking off the magic in the tree, she 'reconnected' to this newer world on a level that went beyond the physical, emotional or even the spiritual. Then she looked up and saw the cherry blossom fluttering in the artificial breeze, as it had on her last walk through this park, three years yet just a fortnight ago.

Holly was reminded that some things never change.

--0--

Artemis rested for six hours (after a bath, he hadn't learned the fairy trick of 'venting one's pores magically' yet and didn't feel confident enough to experiment ), he felt he'd been awake for years. Which, in a way, he had. Butler then prepared a meal and Artemis feasted on the most delectable food he'd had in three years. Even if it was only seared scallops, plaice with rocket and fennel accompanied by cordon blue style clams.

"Artemis is Holly okay?" Butler said as Artemis finished. He noticed something in the way the -now shaven- bodyguard asked the question.

"Yes, Holly is fine but I sense you are not enquiring about her safety."

"Well, while you were sleeping, you muttered something about Holly in danger and you said 'I let you die alone. I was your friend and I let you die alone'." Butler told his charge without meeting his employers eyes. To be truthful Butler feared the worst and thought Artemis may be suffering from some kind of post traumatic delusion that Holly was still alive. One does not mourn the loss of someone close without just cause, even while dreaming.

"Ah, I suspected there would be repercussions. Holly died Butler but I managed to save her in time," Artemis smiled at his little joke but this only worried Butler more.

"You say she died but you managed to save her. How?" The manservant said in slight disbelief.

"Temporal paradox, I know but the alternative doesn't bear thinking about," Artemis said extracting a golden disk from his suit's breast pocket, "You can talk with her if you'd like but I'd prefer it if you didn't mention my new abilities. Call Holly."

Artemis handed his phone to Butler as Holly answered.

"Since you're the only one who has this number, I know it's you Artemis."

"Holly, how was your trip?" Butler asked.

"Hi Butler! Wonderful thank you. Though when you saw me leave three years ago, you couldn't tell from the look on my face," Holly replied laughing lightly.

"As I recall you had the look of someone falling from a great height facing rapidly approaching terra firma."

"Ah, I was only kidding. You should see me moving at Mach three straight through a magma tunnel chasing four vole curry smugglers or better yet the look on their faces!"

"I can imagine. Glad to be back home?"

"Yep but I better go before Foaly bites my head off, tell Artemis to call me sometime!"

"Will do. Hope to see you around sometime."

"Promise. Bye!"

Click!


	3. Warm Welcome

_Chapter 3: Warm Welcome_

"You know, I really should've taken that post at Atlantis," Sergeant Pateski said with a sigh.

"Everyone does guard duty, Sergeant, everybody," His colleague replied.

"Sure Nix, sure."

"Personally I quite like it, up here at Howlers Peak. Sure it's full of goblins but this positions quite cosy, up top with the most dangerous."

"It's something to talk about at the mess I suppose but I think its almost too quiet up here. Like they're all plotting a fiendish escape," Pateski said peering into one of the cells. The occupant threw a fireball but the heatproof door didn't budge.

"I'm surprised that Artemis Fowl isn't in one of these," Sergeant Nix said casually.

"Huh?" Pateski said confused.

"Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what," Came the obvious reply.

"He's back, arrived this morning. Don't you read the papers? Back in his cosy Irish manor. Back ready to cause the fairies more grief."

"Er, didn't he just save us a lot of grief?"

"Cover-up man, cover-up," Nix said shaking his head. Some fairies still believed Artemis was more trouble than he was worth. "An' I even heard he's gotten his hands on some magic of his own."

"How? He's only human."

"I heard it from a very reliable source, I got a cousin who takes the minutes for council meetings."

"Blimey!" Pateski said, sunned.

Inside her cell, Opal Koboi took her eyes from the mirror she'd been permitted to have and looked out of the tiny window in her cell door at the two guards patrolling outside it.

_A human with magic? Impossible! I lost my magic when I became human,_ Opal thought.

Beneath the layers of narcissism, paranoia and conceited delusion, Opal Koboi's tattered though intact IQ set to work, formulating a plan.

--0--

"I assume you enacted the emergency protocol?" Artemis asked after Butler had brought him up to speed regarding the last three years.

"Yes, I removed all data about our adventures with the fairies from the computers. Backed it up on two removable hard-drives. One is in our safety deposit box in Geneva. The other is in the safe in Fowl manor." Even now there was just a hint of what that safe meant to Butler in his voice, well it was the most embarrassing even in the bodyguard's career.

"The only remaining copy of the original is here," Butler said stepping over to the bookshelf, removing a fake panel and extracting a very thin laptop.

"Including the time-tunnel equations?" Artemis enquired.

"Yes."

"Does Minerva have a copy?" Artemis pressed.

"No, though I have shown her a few files," Butler admitted.

"My parents?"

"No, only my stories."

"Excellent, Butler. That way my family may yet avoid a mind-wipe," Artemis replied booting up the laptop.

--0--

"Oh, nearly forgot. How are things between you and a certain lady centaur?" Holly asked cheekily as the were on their return journey through the central park.

Foaly stopped.

"Foaly?" Holly asked, concerned at the look on her friend's face.

"Um, it was two years ago," Foaly said staring into space, blinking, "feels like a lifetime."

"Foaly, what happened? You two were so good for each other."

"There- There was an accident."

"Foaly-" Holly said resting a comforting hand on his flank.

"It was just after we set up the facility for the return of Hybras. I pulled some strings, and I got her an Earth-side visa, she had wanted to come see me-" Foaly wiped a tear from his eye. "There was a magma flare," Foaly's voice breaking. "The system I designed had a ninety-nine point eight percent accuracy, and the pod she was in got hit by the one flare in that zero point two percent."

"Oh, Foaly."

"It's alright. Really. Two years ago. Ancient history."

"You know, if you ever want to talk."

"I know Holly, I know."

--0--

Author note: I'm not being mean to Foaly! But I had to do it. Sorry! I'm not good at centaurian relationships!

--0--

"Butler, there are some pieces of equipment I'd like to obtain... I thought you might know someone?" Artemis said handing Butler a list of supplies.

"What's all this?" Buter replied after scanning the list.

"Just a few things i'll need for this last venture. See to it will you? Tonight if possible."

Butler simply nodded.

--0--

Three hours later Butler had not yet returned from his 'shopping trip' and Artemis sat, cross-legged, before his voice recorder. Deep in the almost trance-like meditative state supportive to the construction of complex theories, ideas and consequently plots. A few moments later Artemis opened his eyes, his planning complete.

He carefully stored the voice recorder away and went to the immaculate kitchen to pour himself a drink. He only made it to the refrigerator before he felt the sting of the hypodermic dart, the sound of the window glass shattering seemed almost an afterthought. Artemis fell as the darkness claimed him.


	4. Opal's Escape

_Chapter 4: Opal's Escape_

Nine hours earlier

"Thanks Angeline. I wish Butler the best of luck."

"We all do, Minerva. Come visit soon."

"I will."

Minerva had manipulated the keyboard of her laptop as she was speaking and as Angeline Fowl hung up the phone Minerva clicked the confirm button, confirming a booking on the next flight to Ireland, two tickets.

"Butler?"

Juliet Butler answered immediately, "Yes madame?"

"We leave for Ireland in thirty minutes."

--0--

Butler had a little trouble locating a few of the items on Artemis's list but found them in the end. He parked the modest Mondeo and stepped out. Immediately he noted the shattered window. No broken glass outside, the window was broken from the outside. The window wasn't cleared of glass fragments so it was not used as an entrance.

Butler ascertained this within his first breath and had drawn his Sig Sauer before his second. He scanned the scene, finding no trace of the possible assassin. He carefully but quickly made his way to the main door. Lock broken, door ajar. Assassin had time, means the mark was already down.

Inside, clean, nothing broken. No signs of struggle. Gun levelled, he proceeded inside. After a thorough search, he found no Artemis, no note, no ransom demand but found the laptop and voice recorder untouched. Fairy weapons wouldn't have broken the glass and Butler hadn't given fairies free reign in his home… which meant humans.

'It may be time to enact the Spiro Protocol,' Butler thought as he extracted his mobile phone.

--0--

"Now that all the Demons are back Section eight doesn't really have a mandate anymore," Foaly told Holly on their return to section eight HQ. "So technically we don't have a job per se, but we're still employed by our contracts. Speaking of which lunch is on you."

"Huh?" Holly asked, a little shocked.

"Three years back pay, you're one rich fairy," Foaly said smiling.

"Oh yeah! Let's go shopping! Haha."

--0--

"The only thing is," Sergeant Pateski said with a sigh, "its damn quiet."

"There's only twenty minutes till the end of the shift," Nix replied.

"How's number forty seven?" Pateski asked, guards often used the cell number to refer to individual prisoners.

Nix nodded and peered into number thirty eight.

"D'Arvit!" Nix swore, "get the medic fairy! Suicide attempt cell thirty eight."

Pateski rushed away. Nix quickly opened the cell and rushed to Opal Koboi's side. The blood from the cuts on her wrists pooled on the floor, Opal herself was unconscious or at least barely conscious. Nix quickly bent down to administer a little magic, he wasn't a medic but he could at least stem the bleeding.

_A risk certainly, _Opal thought, her mind on a level similar to the one she had occupied in her coma-like state. _Artemis must've gained the magic in the time tunnel, a transfusion from a real fairy._

Nix put his hands on Opal's wrist and summoned the blue sparks.

_Excellent! _Opal thought with manic glee.

Opal used her altered awareness to channel Nix's magic from the wounds on her arms into her mind. They sparked the same neurons that activated in Artemis's mind, awakening the latent magical ability.

Opal's eyes flew open and she grabbed Nix's arm with her free hand.

"_Shhh!_" Opal said channelling the _mesmer_ and using Nix's own magic against him.

--0--

Butler's ears detected the tell-tale sound of an engine. Rolls-Royce Phantom. He stood behind the door, it was a bullet proof door though, from the outside, appeared to be of wooden construction.

Peering through the ajar door, he watched as Minerva and his sister stepped out. Holstering his gun, he stepped out to greet them.

"Butler?" Minerva called.

"Artemis has been abducted," Butler explained simply.

"Fairies?" Juliet asked.

"No, fairies use laser based weapons. Windows shattered."

Minerva nodded, "How long ago?"

"Within the last six hours."

"Clues?"

"No struggle, no note."

"Tranquilliser dart?" Minerva suggested.

"Possibly."

--0--

Opal sent Nix to sleep with a word of the _mesmer_ and stepped out of the cell. She was about to flee when she felt _something_. Being without magic for some time had made her hyper-sensitive, and _something _in the end cell had piqued her interest. She made her way to the end cell, peering into the small window.

The cell was darkened, with a spotlight in the ceiling focused on a chair in the middle of the room. A figure, obscured in shadows sat bound to the chair. It stirred and Opal extracted the keys she'd liberated from Nix and slid them into the lock, a fanatical smile gracing her features.


	5. Captive

_Chapter 5: Captive_

Artemis awoke feeling groggy but when he raised his arm to rub his -Holly's- eye, his elbow didn't bend far enough. Curious, he looked down at his arm. His arm was restrained at the wrist to the arm of a chair. The chair on which he sat. Fighting the drugs in his system, Artemis assessed his situation.

It was clear that he'd been abducted. Hypodermic dart, back of the neck. He was in a large, well lit, luxuriously decorated room. Lots of gold and silk. Empty, except for himself, but Artemis suspected it would not stay that way for long.

"Ah, you're awake," a voice said. It was distorted and thin as it came through speakers in the corner of the room. "I was beginning to think you'd never grace us with your presence Artemis Fowl."

--0--

"Holly, Foaly!" Wing Commander Vinyáya shouted as the couple entered the high-security entrance to Section 8.

"Commander?" Holly asked as she quickly stored the shopping she and Foaly were carrying.

"Emergency call from Howlers Peak, escape."

"I'm gone," Holly said, heading for the equipment room.

"Hold your h-" Vinyáya caught her tongue, realising Foaly was present, "a unit has already been dispatched."

Foaly had already sat at his console and was retrieving reports from the field via his headset.

"Okay," Foaly said, "at 12:47 Haven Standard Time, Opal Koboi assaulted Sergeant Nix after he entered her cell to administer aid after a suicide attempt. She incapacitated him possibly with _mesmer_. Early reports indicate that she released another prisoner but… what?"

"What Foaly?" Commander Vinyáya asked.

"I don't have clearance," Foaly replied.

"What? You have Section Eight clearance," Vinyáya said confused.

"They know."

"Put me on." Vinyáya took a headset. "This is Wing Commander Vinyáya , Section Eight. I want details on the second escapee," Vinyáya demanded. Pause as the reply came through. "I have the highest clearance! What do you mean 'by order of the Council'?!"

There was a little more said on the other end then Vinyáya removed the headset and flung it down.

"Foaly, I'm giving you special permission. Hack Howlers Peak computer system, find out who was in that cell!"

"I'm on it," Foaly said, his hands flying over the computer interface.

"Opal doesn't have magic, her pituitary gland?" Holly asked.

"That's what I'm getting Holly, Opal used magic," Foaly answered, not taking his eyes from the screen.

"What can I do Commander?" Holly addressed Vinyáya.

"Opal Koboi means Artemis Fowl. I'm giving you permission to retrieve him. Brief him on your way back. Hopefully Artemis can match wits with her again. Grab your wings Holly, you're going Earth-side."

--0--

Minerva had the same lightning quick thought processes as Artemis and required but a few seconds to formulate a plan and assume command.

"Butler." Both Butlers turned to face her. "First priority is to contact the fairies, Holly if possible. Their equipment can help us track down Artemis."

"Already done," Domovoi replied. Minerva arched an eyebrow.

"Artemis's phone?"

"No, it was taken, I used my own. A fairy should be here momentarily and if Foaly has anything to do with it, it will Holly Short."

--0--

"Sentinel just picked this up Holly. Phones registered to a man named Franklin Arnott, New York but the call's from Ireland." An audio file popped up on Holly's new Section 8 helmet, latest model.

"Play," Holly instructed the helmet.

"Butler. Holly. Haven. Artemis. Abducted. Help. Required. LEPrecon. Atlantis. Urgent. Fairy. Sprite. Goblin. Dwarf."

"Let me guess, the intended recipient was the Times crossword hotline."

"Yep. Locations up on your visor now."

Holly opened the throttle on her new wings, the wind tore at her jumpsuit as she flew at top speed towards the little red dot.

--0--

They had sat in the car for just a few minutes when the back door, opposite Minerva, opened and closed of its own accord.

"Holly Short, it's been a while," Minerva said.

"Not for me," Holly said resolving into the visual spectrum and removing her helmet.

"Relatively speaking, but I wish it were under better circumstances."

The Butlers turned from the front seats to face Holly.

"Butler! And-" Domovoi put his finger to his mouth and Holly remembered the stupid Mud Man rule that the charge mustn't know the first name of the bodyguard. "And Butler."

Juliet smiled, "good to see you too, Holly."

--0--

A door opened behind Artemis. How clichéd. Artemis was still trying to clear the drugs from his system. Though he wouldn't give his captors the pleasure of watching him strain to see who had entered the room. Footsteps echoed round the room, thanks to the marble floor.

A figure, stood directly behind the chair but still Artemis did not turn. The figure reached down and roughly put something in his restrained hand, before turning and leaving, the heavy door resounded shut. Artemis looked into his hand, a drug ampoule, it read: 'Sodium thiopental'.


	6. Reveal

_Chapter 6: Reveal_

"Holly, we have a situation down here."

"What's up Foaly?"

"Word of Opal's escape has spread. There's major upset down here. Lower Elements Police are containing the situation right now but I don't know how long they can keep it up."

"We have a situation up here too, Artemis has been abducted."

"What?!" Foaly almost shouted.

"Human intervention most likely."

"Holly this is serious, very serious. Someone abducts Artemis Fowl less than one day after a three year absence?"

"Actually, I was just about to call him and trace the signal."

"What you mean is get ME to trace the signal."

"I was going to ask… Call Artemis."

--0--

The door opened once again. The click of heel on marble. Artemis heard a rustling of fabric. The shadow on the floor held something pointed in Artemis's direction, it could've been a gun.

A large panoramic screen descended from the ceiling. A remote control then.

Click. The screen displayed a high altitude image of Ireland.

Click, the image zoomed in. Lots of green.

Click, the zoom stopped. Artemis saw it, a large blue dot on the screen. Big, about the size of the millennium dome. The time-stop field.

"You know what that is, don't you," A voice said, it might've been feminine but Artemis couldn't tell.

"Smudge on the lens?" Artemis prompted.

"This image was taken by satellite around six years ago. Ireland, specifically Fowl manor."

"Sorry, no idea what that is."

"Oh, well how about this?" Click.

This image was one of a newspaper, the words clearly visible.

'Millionaire away with the fairies? Industrialist Jon Spiro claims to have been set up by a young Irish boy and his magic box. Meanwhile the focus of Mr Spiro's delusions, one Artemis Fowl, was sitting at home with no trace of a magic box in sight. Unconfirmed reports also indicate a large sum of money was donated by Mr Spiro, just prior to his arrest, to Amnesty International.'

"Never met the man, not my type," Artemis said.

"Strange." Click. The image changed to another satellite image, London.

"En Fin seafood restaurant. Both you and mister Spiro were seen leaving this restaurant amid what the papers described as a 'highly localised earthquake' I don't suppose you'd like to shed any light on the subject?"

"We must've just missed one another," Artemis replied.

"Feel free not to co-operate at this point Artemis, it makes the truth serum injections all the more revealing. What I really want to hear, is your explanation for this next image." Click.

This picture showed a purple trapezoid as a backdrop for four figures, apparently sky divers, in mid air.

"Taken three years ago, Taipei. We digitally enhanced the image, two of the figures are certainly not human."

No. 1 and Qwan.

"I recall reading that in the papers," Artemis lied, "I think it was four of the figures from the exhibit which was destroyed and hurled from the window."

"Then would you care to explain why one of the figures is wearing what resembles the very suit you now sit in?"

"Excellent taste?"

"Artemis Fowl, I have no qualms about killing you. Do not forget you have already been missing for three years."

"I was on an extended safari."

"Most unusual method of arrival." Click. The image changed once more, showing another hi-res satellite image. Ireland, coastal scene. Click. A small patch of suit had appeared. Click. More suit, a head and shoulders. Click. Artemis Fowl, standing on the sand. Click. The four images repeated one another rapidly so it seemed that the image of Artemis was emerging from mid-air.

"Beats flying economy."

"Hold on to your levity Artemis Fowl, soon it will be all you have left."

The screen ascended and the shadow left the room.

--0--

Foaly monitored the situation on his gas screens, Holly's call to Artemis didn't connect so he couldn't do a trace. He had since broken into Howlers Peak but there was no record of the second escapee. Foaly even went as far as bringing up the building plans but the cell from which the convict had escaped from wasn't on the blueprint.

This went deep, real deep. And every criminal gang in Haven was taking the opportunity to cause havoc. Foaly had implemented a program which intercepted ordinary LEP communications and stored them on his Section 8 computer.

Most were just general carnage but Foaly had programmed search parameters with specific keywords to be filtered out and played through his headset. As always, however, the one your looking for is always at the bottom of the list…

'Commander Vein. This is Sergeant Nestle here at Haven Historical Museum. The _Coire Anseasc_ has been stolen. I repeat the _Coire Anseasc_ has been stolen. Opal Koboi suspected. Recommend sending a full _shh_' The transmission was stopped mid-sentence as Haven initiated automatic lockdown.

--0--

Artemis felt much better, the drugs had cleared from his system. Then he felt it, his phone was ringing in his breast pocket. In a momentarily lapse of memory he moved to answer it but the restraint prevented it. Instantly a plan formed in his mind.

"Stop," Artemis said quietly into the empty room.

--0--

"Mulch?"

"Holly! You've been back ten hours now and you're only calling now!?" Much said sounding offended.

"Sorry Mulch, business. You know, saving the world and her husband."

"Humph. Sometimes I think you only want me for my body."

"I'm not saying it hasn't come in handy from time to time…" Holly said rolling her eyes.

"Good enough for me! What's up?"

"Artemis needs your help."

"That Mud Boy can't go to the toilet without needing-"

Butler cleared his throat.

"Butler! Is that you, nice to see ya buddy. Sure Holly, love to help, what'd you need…"

--0--

Minerva had sat quietly listening to Artemis's voice on the recording device. While the group pondered who would've taken Artemis. She finally hit 'Stop' and opened her eyes.

"He is every bit the genius I thought he was," Minerva said.

Both Butlers nodded simultaneously and Holly stifled a giggle.

"Any clues to on the tape?" Holly asked.

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Then we're stuck. Unless we get a lead on Artemis, I'll have to return to Haven…" Just then Holly's phone rang.


	7. Old Acquaintances

_Chapter 7: Old Acquaintances_

Mulch and his partner Day had split up to scope out local sources of Intel. On the hunt, Mulch felt great. They'd had several successful arrests of the years but it had taken Mulch some time to get used to earning an honest gold gram.

Mulch hurried off to meet his contact, Corbus. Timing was everything, Artemis was counting on him.

--0--

Artemis could sense the magic, around him, in his mind, in his voice. Alas, apparently just channelling magic to his vocal chords did not produce the _mesmer_ effect.

The door opened once again.

"It appears traditional methods just won't work with you Artemis Fowl. I am, reluctant however," Voice said, but Artemis heard a second set of footsteps. The rattle of a cage being placed upon the marble floor, "to start the Sodium thiopental injections."

"This might prove useful in extracting information from you however." Click.

Artemis's chair rotated 180 degrees to face the door. Three individuals stood before him. A lab technician, face obscured. Voice, a woman, as surmised. Rather stunningly beautiful in a businesswoman sort of way. And on the floor, a Sprite, in a large metal cage.

"We'll leave you two to get reacquainted," Voice said, leaving.

--0--

"Mulch! You old goblin, where'ya been!" The large, hairy dwarf pulled Mulch into a back-slapping embrace.

"Not in prison."

"Well, I'd never've believe it if I hadn't heard if from the centaurs mouth. Wanna grab a beetle beer?"

"Nah, on duty. Speaking of which, heard anything about this Opal business up at Howlers?"

"Yeah, I heard. Awful stuff. These evil geniuses give the common criminal a bad name."

"Genii-" Mulch corrected but thought better of it, "What about her accomplice."

"What now?"

"The other prisoner she broke out."

"Yeah, I heard about that alright."

"Well what did you hear?"

Corbus peered out the corner of his eye, making sure no one was in earshot.

"You're not gonna like Mulch, old boy."

"I never do."

"It means big trouble. An' not just for the common fairy either."

"Spit it out Corbus."

Corbus told him. He didn't like it.

--00--

"Human!" The Sprite spat. "They have told me I can take my frustrations out on you if you do not cooperate.

"You're the Sprite Butler and I met in Ho Chi Minh City," Artemis said in Gnomish.

"I've never met you before," she replied looking shocked that Artemis knew her tongue.

"Of course! The amnesiac! You don't remember."

"What are you talking about Human?"

"Did they take your Book?"

"I woke up here six years ago, no idea how I got here. No Book."

"You have to trust me, you are a Sprite. You were born in Haven. Did you know Julius Root?"

"How do you-?"

"The fairies under his command nicknamed him Beetroot due to his facial hue when under stress." The Sprites jaw dropped.

"I know everything you do and more besides but right now you have to trust me and we can both get out of here alive. Here's the plan."

Artemis told her. Names were exchanged during the conversation.

"You must call the magic while you look into their eyes. You must maintain eye contact. Try to _mesmer _me," Theris said coming as close to Artemis as the bars of her cage would allow and staring into Artemis's eyes.

Artemis concentrated and looked into the sprites eyes. Channelling the magic he brought it to his voice box and spoke.

"_S-_it."

The Sprites knees weakened slightly but she remained upright. "Try again."

Artemis thought about the multi-tonal nature of the mesmer and it struck him as he took a preparatory breath. _Maybe you have to __breathe__ the magic out so it resonates the vocal chords?_

"_Sit._"

Theris resisted but sat.

"Very good for a second try. Again."

--0--

"Foaly!" Mulch shouted almost breathless. He had no doubt ran here since the power grid would be down due to lock down.

"What?" Foaly called, removing his headset.

"The second escapee," Mulch leaned against a gas screen causing a rainbow of colour to frame his backside, "it's Xavier Skye!"

--0--

"Yes, Mister Nguyen proved quite useful, we only had to pay him twice as much as you," Voice said as she entered the room once more. "The Sprite has proved quite a wealth of information but her usefulness has come to an end. The lab is quite eager to dissect her," Voice said walking round the room.

"It would be quite impromptu for you to finish without revealing your name," Artemis said casually.

"You're right I suppose, Alexis. Alexis DeMiral."

"Of DeMiral Industries?" Artemis asked. DeMiral Industries was a multi-billion pound multi-national company. At least of three years ago.

"Yes, I am CEO DeMiral."

"What happened to Alexander DeMiral?" The CEO during Artemis's time.

"A pseudonym."

"Ah," Artemis said. Alexis looked at Artemis. Theris nodded. "_Alexis. Listen to my voice._"

Alexis's hard expression changed, her brow lines lessened.

"_Unlock the Sprite cage._"

Alexis momentarily resisted then bent down extracting a key from her pocket and unlocked the Theirs's cage. She jumped out, briefly stretched then ran over to Artemis, found the gold coin in his breast pocket and held it to Artemis ear.

"Call Holly."


	8. Awakening

_Chapter 8: Awakening_

"Holly. Alexis DeMiral. DeMiral Industries. Trace the signal then would you please put Minerva on? I suspect she's sitting beside you," Artemis's voice came through the phone speaker.

Holly was once again surprised by Artemis's powers of deduction but handed the phone to Minerva.

"First of all allow me to apologize. I should've called. However now is not the time. I am assuming you listened to the recording?"

"You suspected otherwise?"

"Your thoughts?"

"I've had a lot longer to look over the Time-tunnel equations than you but I've hardly first hand experience. Otherwise, I concur but I don't see how you have all the relevant data."

"High C."

"Of course!" Minerva said through the connection, comprehension dawning on her features.

"I've got it," Holly said beside Minerva, referring to the trace.

"We should talk soon," Artemis said.

"Yes, we have much to discuss. Holly, Artemis wishes to speak to you."

A brief smile graced Artemis's features as Minerva read his intentions.

--0--

"Xavier Skye?"

"Oh. Err, before your time. Hey, I know something you don't."

"Mulch, now is hardly the time," Foaly said typing the name into the search program on his computer.

3 results. That in itself was very odd. Even the average criminal should have more. Central Records. LEP Records. Judicial Records. Birth, Dental, Marriage, ect. Records.

The three results. Foaly opened the first, a materials request for Howler's Peak. The name Xavier Skye appeared only once in in the Prisoner form. The next, an attending physician record, only in the Patient form. The last was… encrypted. It was a council Record.

But fortunately, Foaly had watched the Mud Man movie 'Hackers' the night before…

Love. Access Denied.

Sex. Access Denied.

Secret. Access Denied.

God. Access Granted. Ah, the vanity…

--0--

Opal was responsible for the lockdown, tripping a 'ping' sensor was simple but effective and it would tie the LEP up for some time. Hopefully long enough to delay investigation into Opal's theft of the _Coire Anseasc_. Essential for the next part of her plan to finally and totally destroy Artemis Fowl.

The man in the chair before her, in her recently acquired shuttle, the man she'd liberated from Howlers Peak, was a key component of that plan.

Once he recovered from the medically induced coma he'd occupied, by council order, for a very, very long time. Reason enough to hate the fairies who did this to him. He stirred.

Opal approached as he opened his eyes. She held out a large box. "Chocolate?"

--0--

"Where am I Holly?" Artemis asked Holly.

"Scotland, looks like a small mansion on the outskirts of Edinburgh, you're beneath it, underground. What's your status?" Theris had freed Artemis from the chair at this point and Artemis was pacing the room. Theris was kicking Alexis in the shins, saying something about 'Six years!'.

"A little thirsty and I've made a friend here called Theris. Can you put me through to Foaly, I need to have a chat with him."

"I can't, Haven's in lockdown. Last I heard Opal's escaped from Howlers." Holly's new helmet had informed her of the lockdown just after her call to Mulch.

"Opal is free. How?"

"She somehow mesmered the guard."

"The plot thickens."

--0--

"A Mud Man!?" Foaly said shocked.

"Yep, caused quite a stir. Not as much as Artemis though. Couldn't beat the time-stop," Mulch said, having caught his breath.

"He surrendered," Foaly read from the report, "but it was discovered later that he is immune to mind-wipe technology. His brain has a radically different physiology from the average Mud Man. He was placed in a catatonic state, déjà vu anyone?"

"I don't need the history lesson so stop neighing and get to the important bits," Mulch said.

"His family, friends, practically everyone who knew him was mind-wiped and all records of him were erased," Foaly continued.

"How old?" Mulch asked.

"Chronologically he's one hundred and thirty but, thanks to the coma, he's physically eighteen. I can't believe I haven't heard about this!"

"Well, in a way you were." Mulch said half to himself, "If I remember the report correctly, Artemis was the first to _successfully_ liberate gold from the People but wasn't the first to _try_."

Xavier Skye opened his eyes for the first time in over a century. Memory came surging back.

--One Hundred & Twelve Years Previous--

Xavier sat, restrained, in a chair before the entire Fairy council. Atlantis & Haven, such a council hadn't been formed in living memory. They spoke in English when addressing Xavier but Gnommish when discussing between themselves. Xavier had learned Ancient Egyptian in preparation, since he hadn't known about the fairy Book, and so understood some of what was said.

"He's dangerous," A creature that Xavier suspected was a Dwarf said in Gnommish.

"A definite threat." What might've been an Elf replied.

"We cannot release him, he cannot be mind wiped." Something with wings said.

"Action must be taken."

"No one is disputing that, Tanagra."

"Xavier Skye," Council member Dakar addressed him. "You have been deemed a threat to the security and safety of the People, as such we have no other option but to take action to defend ourselves and our way of life. It is unfortunate that you are immune to the effects of the mind-wipe, if not we would not have to present you with these options." Dakar could not look Xavier in the eye.

"Execution. Swift and painless. Or imprisonment until such a time as a method to remove your memories of the People can be devised. The choice is yours."

--0--

Author note:

OMG, i'm so sorry for not updating sooner, the house is being done up and i've not had access to my computer! More will follow soon!


	9. Sword of Light

_Chapter 9: Sword of Light_

"Mrs. DeMiral?" The synthetic voice from the speakers in the room inquired.

"_Reply. Tell them everything is under control,_" Artemis said.

Alexis listened, relaxed due to the _mesmer_, then a frown grew on her features.

"What?" Alexis barked at the speaker.

"The prisoner is free."

"Of course he is free you imbecile, how else do you expect me to adequately question him. I am fully capable of handling the situation."

"Of-Of course, Alex- Er Mrs. DeMiral," The voice stammered then cut out.

"_Alexis. Tell me everything you know about the fairies,_" Artemis asked.

--0--

"Chocolate?"

"Huh?" Xavier said, groggy from a century of sleep.

"I like the truffles," Opal said, holding the box under Xavier's nose.

"No, thank you," Xavier replied squinting in the light of the shuttle. One hundred years of darkness will do that. The rich, sickly sweet smell of cocoa filled the air.

"I still remember," Xavier stated, confused.

"Yes," Opal said consuming another truffle, "I broke you out of Howlers Peak."

"Not that I'm not grateful but why?"

"To give you an opportunity to seek revenge on those who did this to you. For stealing all those years from you, as the took them from me."

"Years? How many years? What year is this?"

Opal told him but it was too much, Xavier fainted but this time he welcomed the darkness.

--0--

'The _Coire Anseasc_ has been stolen.' The voice came through Foaly's headset, unfortunately he'd removed it at this point but the name stood out against the background noise and Foaly quickly picked it up.

'I repeat the _Coire Anseasc_ has been stolen. Opal Koboi suspected. Recommend sending a full _shh_'

"Oh no. This is bad very, very bad."

"Oh, no. I was just starting to get used to the very bad," Mulch said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Mulch, the _Coire Anseasc_ is Dagda's Cauldron," Foaly explained.

"Oh," Mulch said with sudden seriousness.

--0--

Butler (Domovoi) sat in the pilot seat of the LearJet and was about to buckle in when a hand fell on his shoulder. He looked up to see Minerva looking at him. Butler smiled and lightly shook his head before standing and offering Minerva the seat.

--0--

"This next exhibit is really special," The curator of the National Museum of Ireland said to the private tour group. It always helped to take the tour himself, at least when wealthy contributors were on the guest list. "This is a little piece of history that generations have coveted and admired. Ladies and gentlemen, the legendary Sword of Light!"

The case was intentionally kept in darkness and as the curator said 'Light' he flipped a concealed switch, lighting the exhibit from a lamp built within. The effect was quite stunning, a large bronze sword illuminated from below, seeming to glow. Except this time there was no sword. There was, however, a large circle cut very cleanly from the enclosing glass case.

The report later read that the glass was cut, not with a glass cutter but with something that melted the edges of the glass. The investigator claimed that it must've been 'something like a laser' but the CCTV recording was 'lost'. The local newspapers ran the story for a few editions but eventually set into the belief that it was a fraud to claim insurance money. The curator resigned over the scandal.

--0--

Opal climbed back into the shuttle, the sword safely in her possession. Xavier had came to.

"Your awake?"

"Everyone I've ever known is dead aren't they?"

"Yes."

"One hundred and twelve years! This can't be real."

"I can't take you back," Opal said, false sympathy in her voice, "but I can give you the opportunity to pay them back for what they've done."

Xavier didn't reply for a long moment. "How?"

--0--

"It began," Alexis said, "with a tablet my father brought back from Egypt sixteen years ago. It had a section of hieroglyphics that couldn't be translated. The finest experts in Egyptology couldn't decipher them. It was stored in my family archives for years and forgotten."

"I took interest with you, Artemis, when your father's failed exploit in Russia affected world stock markets and decreased DeMiral corps stock by forty odd points. I wondered how a family such as yours could have such far-reaching influence. With your father gone and your mother a recluse, I watched you."

"Needless to say your exploits, as shown in the images, were more interesting than those of your father. We followed you for some time, but your venture to Ho Chi Minh City proved most beneficial. We found the creature Mister Nguyen introduced you to along with a copy of a book, at least what we thought was a book, with symbols which were unrecognisable."

"Strangely enough, the answer came in a dream. I recalled the time when my father had shown the tablet to me and upon further inspection the symbols matched. It was a Rosetta Stone. A primer to the Fairy Bible."

Theris was outraged. And began pounding on Alexis's chest, flapping her wings. Alexis stood there _mesmerised_.

"You stole my Book! The secrets of a thousand fairy generations! The history of my People!"

A pang of guilt, so strong Artemis almost felt sick, boiled up inside him. He had taken Theris's book with no more scruple than Alexis.

Alexis, though immobilised by the mesmer, stopped recounting her story (something Artemis would later regret) but Artemis was too deep in self-reflection to notice.

--0--

"You okay?" Juliet asked Holly as they sat in the cabin of the LearJet.

"Flying that uses wings that don't move is still a little unsettling," Holly replied.

"We're safe with Minerva as pilot."

"I wasn't aware she owned her own plane."

"She doesn't but she- she-." Juliet couldn't find the words. "She says almost the exact same thing that Artemis does and you can't not believe it."

Holly knew only one sentence that, when uttered by Artemis Fowl II, she believed totally and whole-heartedly.

"'Do you trust me?'?"

"Yep. It's sort of eerie but well you know what I mean."

Holly knew.


	10. Egypt

_Chapter 10: Egypt_

"D'Arvit!" Foaly swore, " this is too important."

Foaly then broke lockdown, and subsequently fairy law, by calling Holly.

Strangely it was this which worried Mulch most, Foaly never swore.

--0--

Opal had coveted the four treasures from childhood. Though with Dagda's Cauldron a protected historical artefact, the Sword of Light in Mud Man hands (not that they could do anything with it, you needed magic in your blood to properly wield it) and the remaining two treasures lost to the passage of time her chances seemed slim.

The Mud Men believed that the Lia Fáil lay atop a hill at Tara but it's true location was lost around the Frond dynasty. Along with the Spear of Destiny. Opal wasn't willing to accept this; in her youth she had access to thousands of books from wealthy fairy families. Thousands of hours of research, possibly millions of scrolls, thousands of records, tracing a line through history.

The line ended in Egypt.

"Egypt?" Xavier asked.

"I'm looking for the Spear of Destiny," Opal replied, not accustom to explaining herself. Although she was piloting the stolen shuttle, she had placed a pocket mirror on the dashboard and was continually checking her reflection.

Xavier, who had never even conceived of riding magma flares in a titanium egg, was still in too deep in shock to care. Though, as a defensive measure employed by his mind to avoid thinking about the current situation, Xavier recalled the legend of the Spear of Destiny.

A supposedly indestructible spear which protected the wielder from harm. One of the Four Treasures. The others: a cauldron, a sword and a stone.

"Your looking to unite the four treasures, why?"

"The four treasures are more than just a collection of items, they have magical abilities. Then brought together, they fulfil an ancient prophecy."

--0--

"_Alexis_?" Artemis asked. She turned to look at him, the pupils of her eyes were becoming a little ragged. "_What had you planned to do with me_?"

"I am going to expose you as a traitor to your species. Tomorrow I will make a public announcement once the world has absorbed the fact that we share this planet with another sentient species. I will tell them of your exploits and how you've been helping them," Alexis explained, her voice toneless.

"How will you disseminate this information?"

"There are three hundred and six servers worldwide which will dump a copy of the Sprite's book and it's translation onto the Internet."

"When?"

"Midnight, Greenwich Mean Time."

"Three hours from now?" Artemis asked.

"Yes."

"_Order them to cancel_," Artemis commanded.

"I cannot. The servers are on a timer, they can't be stopped."

"What does this mean?" Theris asked, confused.

"It means that, as of one second past midnight, the world we know will come to an end," Artemis answered, sitting in the chair which once bound him.

--0--

A very slight shimmer shot from the door of the Jet as soon as it opened at Edinburgh airport. Butler emerged, looked up to the sky and smiled.

"It's a girl thing," Juliet said over her brothers shoulder.

--0--

"Holly?" A voice came through her helmet comm.

"Foaly?"

"Holly, big problem. Very big problem. I think Opal is trying to reunite the four treasures."

"What!?"

"She already has Dagda's Cauldron and I'm getting a news feed here stating a sword was stolen from the Irish National Museum," Foaly told her reading his gas screens.

"The Claíomh Solais?"

"Looks like it."

"But if she-"

"I know Holly, I know. We have to stop her."

"One crisis at a time," Holly said, opening the throttle to test three years worth of improvements in wing design. She was impressed.

--0--

Minerva was quite surprised when both Butlers went for separate security lockers inside the main terminal and extracted an almost identical metal suitcase. In Juliet's a berretta, three gas grenades, two flash-bangs and an FN F2000 assault rifle.

Domovoi's contained the customary Sig Sauer, garrotte wire, two fairy sonix, fairy-filter goggles and a P90 rifle.

Minerva snapped open her mobile phone and dialled the number of a local car rental service.

"Let's hope," Minerva said as her mobile rang, "we are not too late."

--0--

A pyramid is not considered a dwelling, more a burial ground and so is not protected by the ancient magic prohibiting fairies from entering human residence. Museums however are a different matter, Mud Men actually put signs up which read 'visitors welcome'. Hence Opal's unhindered entrance to the Irish National Museum.

Being back underground was a mild relief but it took a certain breed of fairy to like the arid climate and bitter nights in Egypt. Opal didn't mind the temporary discomfort of venturing into the ancient tomb, despite it's poor Mud Man architecture.

The last record of the Spear of Destiny put it in a hidden compartment in the Pharaoh's tomb. Opal used a handheld device to pinpoint her location within the pyramid, marking the Pharaoh's tomb she set off in the direction of her goal.

--0--

"_Alexis,_ how many are guarding this facility?" Artemis quizzed.

"Sixteen armed security personnel, four lab technicians."

"Armed with what?"

"MAC-10s, shotguns, rocket propelled grenade launchers and standard handguns."

Artemis's phone rang.

"Artemis? We might have a problem here…"

--0--

Holly told Artemis as she hovered outside the mansion, invisible. "One other thing; 'how do I get in?'"

"I'm working on it, I don't suppose a mesmerised invitation counts?"

"No, it- Artemis you said you lost your magic!"

"If I hadn't it would've no doubt resulted in a mind-wipe, at least. At the moment, however, we have more pressing concerns. How long till help arrives?"

"Minerva and company will be here within ten minutes," Holly answered albeit a little chagrined.

--0--

Opal made her way into the Pharaoh's chamber. Of course, it had been looted in antiquity. Mud men, grave robbers. The sarcophagus, open. On display, even. Do these humans have no respect for the dead?

'Now if I was an ancient spear, where would I hide?' Opal thought to herself, staring at the primitive hieroglyphics copied from her own noble language. He newly re-acquired gift of tongues allowed her to read the inscriptions, details of the burial procedure, mentions of which gods were venerated. Treasures!

Opal skimmed the whole list before going through it carefully, no mention of a spear.

--0--

"Four on the battlements, MAC-10s with laser sights," Butler said looking through the fairy-filtered goggles.

"Security cameras?" Minerva asked.

"Twelve."

"Holly's started early," Juliet said, she was watching through night-vision filtered binoculars.

Butler checked the battlements in time to see the last man collapsing due, no doubt, to a neutrino blast.

"Butler, may I?" Minerva asked gesturing to Domovoi's goggles. Butler handed them over.

She focused on one unconscious man who had fallen in one of the crenels, perhaps…

She watched as a five-man squad of security personnel came on to the battlements to discovery why the first group wasn't responding to radio calls.

Minerva picked up the field communicator Holly had given them.

"Holly. Guards have knowledge of fairy mesmer. They are all wearing sunglasses. Advise caution."

--0--

Alexis had, of course, known of the mesmer due to the fairy Book but she also knew the Sprite hadn't the magic to use it. She hadn't counted on Artemis possessing the ability however. Her sunglasses were in her suit's breast pocket, of little use to her now.

--0--

Spear of Destiny. Destiny. Fate. Destiny. Future. Egyptians believed that the soul rose up and that their version of heaven lay in the stars. Orion. There were air shafts built into the chambers facing the constellation in the nights sky.

Opal searched the shafts but came up empty. Then, remembering that the Egyptians related this constellation with Osiris. What Mud Men did not know was that 'Osiris' was ancient fairy for 'light'.

Opal drew the Sword of Light and channelled magic to it. It glowed with an ethereal light. A manic grin adorned Opal's features as one of the sandstone blocks in the room began to glow from a hidden compartment it had concealed for an aeon.


	11. Mansion, Mine

_Chapter 11: Mansion, Mine_

Artemis sat in deep reflection. He would tell Theris the truth once they were out of danger. Something kept disrupting his concentration, a mild headache. Perhaps it was Theris's continuing repetition of 'Six years!'?

"Move and I'll put a bullet where your brain is."

Artemis opened his eyes, one of the security personnel had entered the room and was currently pointing a handgun at his head. He had a slight Glaswegian accent with an auburn crew cut. Sunglasses, despite the recent sunset.

"You," he barked.

"I have a name," Theris said indignantly. Artemis had an idea. It had worked for No1. despite his inexperience in magic use.

The guard looked a little phased, as far as he was concerned the only creature which spoke English was a human.

"Take whatever spell you put on Alexis off," he demanded.

"Not me, Mud Man, him," Theris replied pointing at Artemis.

Artemis concentrated, ignoring the headache, on his memories created no more than six months ago, the enclosure in which Opal had hoped to enact her revenge. Eleven Wonders of the world. Artemis focused on the memory of the particularly violent Troll that had snapped at the others, then he wrapped the memory in magic, much as he had with the memory of Holly's temporary death.

"What are you doing?" The guard demanded of Artemis.

The memory grew -cold- like his blood had turned to ice which, despite cooling the developing migraine, was uncomfortable. When he could tolerate it no longer he let the magic rally and brought forth the image.

A massive bull Troll appeared beside the security guard. Who, despite numerous years experience, had never encountered a Troll before. He was, at the time, keeping a very close eye on Artemis and with the sunglasses limiting his field of view he saw the Troll's shadow first. He turned expecting to see a tall human.

He swung his firearm around to face the Troll but the creature opened it's mouth to reveal large tusk-like serrated incisors. Dripping with venom.

He wasn't the first human to wet his pants when confronted with a Troll but he might be the last. Alexis would later terminate his contract but at the moment security guard Duncan McAndrews was being welcomed into the silent embrace of unconsciousness as he fainted.

"I'm impressed Mud Boy. I'm impressed," Theris said.

"Thank you," Artemis replied, drained by the effort.

"Artemis?" Theris asked, "what did Alexis mean earlier? About Mister Nguyen being useful and paying twice as much as you?"

"I- I made some very foolish mistakes in my youth and people got hurt. You were one of those people, you just don't remember."

"That's why you said amnesiac earlier."

"Yes," Artemis admitted, "its my fault you spent the last six years here."

"As much as I'd like to blame you, she is the one who kept me locked in a cage," Theris said, pointing at Alexis, "I may not remember what you did to me but you are trying to help me now. We should leave before more guards come."

Artemis was surprised, we wasn't expecting to be forgiven, at least, this easily but Theris didn't remember the betrayal so she didn't know the full story.

--0--

Holly watched the guards collapse, seemingly of their own accord. She was shielded but it felt different somehow, she couldn't explain it but she was willing to put up with the discomfort given the situation. She drew her Neutrino something (she hadn't asked Foaly what model the new Neutrinos were) it was made of super-light polymer casing Foaly had called 'Opal-proof'.

Then she saw it. A shadow. The lights on the roof of the mansion illuminated the roof and the grounds surrounding the building but something was casting a shadow on the roof. A humanoid shadow but there was nothing standing where the shadow began.

Holly flipped down her helmet filter for fairy shield when she realised it was already down. Holly flipped down all the filters, none of them revealed what the humanoid was.

It moved and entered the mansion through the roof entrance. Holly landed and peered in the door after it, she couldn't see in the lower light of the mansion but she couldn't go in any further without invoking the ancient magic.

Holly removed her helmet, sometimes it helped to see things with your own eyes.

It appeared as she removed the helmet, like a liquid shadow, ink black but somehow fluid. In the shape of a short human or tall fairy but it couldn't be a fairy, it didn't have an invitation. It beckoned. An invitation to her!

Holly jammed her helmet under her arm and followed the shadow inside. No sickness, the invitation held.

"Knock, knock," Holly said sarcastically as she turned the corner in pursuit of Artemis and the mysterious shadow.

--0--

Juliet buried half a clip into the hinges of the eighteenth century front door, literally shooting them off their hinges.

A well timed flash bang took out around seven armed men and Domovoi kept her in his sight while she restrained the incapacitated men with plastic cable ties. His P90 was a little older than Juliet's FN F2000 and it felt a little unwieldy since he was used to his Sig. He was with Minerva behind a grass verge in the grounds and his little sister was in the doorway of the mansion.

Through the sight, Domovoi saw Juliet tense and drop her rifle. Someone, out of sight, was holding a gun at her. Domovoi could only see, and hence only shoot, Juliet. Then he saw something. Juliet was making a gesture, small enough to go unnoticed but significant. Although she had been told to put her arms up she was pointing downwards with her left hand.

Domovoi understood what his sister was telling his so he took careful aim and fired.

--0--

"Freeze!" One of the guards had come round the corner of the long, pristine corridor that lay on the other side of the door, just as Artemis and his friend were closing it behind them. Alexis now sat bound in the chair but in her mesmerised state the restraints were quite unnecessary. Artemis was reluctant to mesmerise her anymore due to the condition of her pupils.

"Put your hands on your head now!" This guard was a little more professional, ex-military maybe.

Theris, strangely, did as asked. Artemis had other plans.

"Do it now or I start shooting!" The guard said for emphasis.

--0--

Juliet hoped her brother got the message. Otherwise this was going to get messy…

A security guard, holding a very powerful handgun was standing twelve feet from her, pointing it at her head. Bad move, aim for the chest. Bigger target, if you hit, you get the heart, miss and you puncture a lung.

"Cut the ties!" The guard shouted, he must've been deafened a little from the flash bang.

When she felt the bullet hit it's mark she did a mental lap of joy.

The bullet went through one of the gas grenades secured to her belt and immediately copious amounts of white smoke poured out. Juliet dived into the cloud removing the remains of the grenade in mid-leap. She disappeared immediately, the guard was too stunned to react but regained his composure swiftly. The remains of the grenade were 'hissing' as the chemicals were consumed by the reaction.

He swung his handgun into position and emptied three shells into the cloud where the hissing emanated from but Juliet was already circling round behind him.

"Missed me," Juliet said, taunting, immediately before she disarmed and pistol-whipped the guard with his own gun at such speed, it approached fairy shield vibration.

--0--

Artemis had point blank refused to use a gun, despite Butler's recommendation that he should, at least, learn to shoot after the incident with Mr Spiro. Minerva, was a different matter, she accepted Juliet's berretta with no comment. Both Butlers had learned early on that Minerva was very headstrong.

While the Butlers were taking care of the front door, Minerva took the opportunity to enter the mansion by her own means. She had left Domovoi when he was taking aim and walked around to the back door keeping down low and near cover.

The back room had large French doors covered by a guard with, what looked like a sniper rifle, propped up on a couch. She couldn't contest with the sniper rifle but she could contest the sniper…

Once she discovered the fact, Minerva endeavoured to master ambidexterity but didn't quite have the finesse Artemis possessed and so still favoured her left. She very carefully took aim from behind her cover, a bush, and fired.

Minerva had adopted Artemis's non-harm policy and so didn't shoot the sniper, she shot the chandelier hanging _above_ the sniper.

--0--

Holly pursued the shadow to a room off a rather grandiose corridor, full of tapestries and suits of armour with - would-you-believe-it - gold or gold plated lances and swords.

She was still curious why she could see the shadow while the best filters fairy science could devise were left useless. Then it suddenly struck her, her eyes. Or more precisely, the combination of her eye - and hence optic nerve - with Artemis's. The capture rate of the fairy eye was different than that of a human. The effect was similar to merging the image of two different cameras.

Flicking her Neutrino to stun, she re-shielded and peeked round the oak door. It was a gallery of some kind, more tapestries, cases of swords and crossbows and other ancient, priceless artefacts.

The shadow was extracting something from a case at the far end of the gallery. Holly walked up towards it. It turned and Holly saw what it had came for; a large, thin stone tablet with indiscernible writing.

"Hey," Holly called. The figure turned and nodded towards something a distance to Holly's left.

Holly turned quick enough to see another shadow aiming something at her, it fired. She felt the dart puncture her suit and imbed in her side but it was the electric shocks emitted by the device that caused the most pain and loss of motor control. She was incapacitated for around a minute before she recovered sufficiently to remove the offending device. The shadows were gone along with the tablet.

Author Note: Sorry this chap & my last weren't up to the highest of standard. I'll probably re-write them at some point in the near future. It's just I've got a lot going on at home right now. Not to mention Uni work... I'll try to keep up.


	12. Trapped

_Chapter 12: Trapped_

Author note: Plenty of reading in this one ;)

Wing Commander Vinyáya burst into the operations room, a look of fury and indignation on her face which left scorch marks… A brief artificial breeze followed her inside and lifted her silver hair, framing the look on her face in writhing white-grey locks.

"Foaly! What's the status of that hack?"

"Cell's not even on the building blueprint."

"The council's not talking!" From her voice she wasn't angry at Foaly, it was her lack of success in extracting Intel from the Council.

"Our 'consultant' here did manage to get some info."

"Mulch?"

"Xavier Skye," Mulch replied.

"Oh," Vinyáya said. She dredged up a memory from when she was just a little elf. During her college years… A news report of an apprehended Mud Man, but it quickly fell out of the public news with reassurances that the threat to the People's safety had been 'removed'. "He's still alive?"

"Coma," Foaly explained, "council order. He can't be mind-wiped."

"This complicates matters," Vinyáya replied.

"Not half, with the lockdown - I believe was triggered by Opal herself - and the theft of the Four Treasures," Foaly began.

"Four Treasures!?" Vinyáya shouted, more out of surprise than anything.

"Oh, sorry. Opal stole Dagada's Cauldron and the Sword of Light."

"D'Arvit!" Vinyáya took two communicators from an equipment rack, throwing one to Foaly. "Keep me informed, I'm going to get some answers!"

Vinyáya walked out the security-laden double doors, possibly looking more threatening than when she came in. She'd get answers and Frond help any fairy who stood in her way.

--0--

"Artemis?" Theris asked. Suggesting that he comply with the demand.

"No," Artemis replied casually putting his hands in his pockets.

The guard cocked the gun. This told Artemis a lot, the gun had not been cocked to begin with, Alexis had no doubt ordered that Artemis not be shot.

Artemis casually extracted his right hand and covered his mouth as he coughed lightly into it.

"Now," with emphasis this time.

"I don't think you'll shoot us," Artemis replied, replacing his hand.

The guard decided words were getting him nowhere, he chose an ornamental shield fastened to a nearby wall and fired. The bullet indented into the steel shield. 32 calibre, Artemis thought, but he didn't turn to see the bullet imbedded in the shield - he heard that - instead he watched the bullet casing fall from the handgun.

"Quite _powerful_ but you missed me," Artemis said flippantly, suppressing the sound of a tiny gasp.

The guard aimed at Theris and cocked once again. "I'm not playing games."

"Shame. I do like a good game of chess," Artemis stalled, silently praying. _Come on_, Artemis thought.

"I won't ask again." Just then the lights went out.

--0--

Holly recovered, her body still shaking from the electric shock.

"Ah," she groaned, picking herself up and recovering her Neutrino and her fallen helmet. She scanned the room but came up empty. They had left.

She tentatively picked up the offending dart. It was made of some super-light alloy that felt like silk. It smacked of fairy technology but Holly had never seen anything like it and the question that burned in her mind was: why invite her into the mansion only to incapacitate her and leave? The answer didn't come readily. She pocketed the device.

Pulling herself back together she left the room and walked down the rest of the ostentatious corridor. She came to an upper floor balcony.

"Holly!"

Holly saw Juliet coming up the oak stairs. They both jumped a little when they heard what sounded suspiciously like a chandelier falling onto someone. I say 'jumped' but I really mean that they gripped their Neutrino and FN F2000 a little tighter and listened intently for a few seconds. Satisfied that whoever was crushed wasn't getting up anytime soon they returned to their conversation.

"Art-?" Juliet began but was interrupted by ringing. Holly's helmet was ringing. Holly hit speaker and answered it.

"…don't think you'll shoot us," Artemis's voice came through muffled and indirect.

"Huh?" Juliet said.

The next sound to play through the helmet's speaker was unmistakable. A gunshot followed by a metallic twang. Holly gasped involuntarily.

"Quite _powerful_ but you missed me," Artemis continued but Holly realised Artemis was telling her something.

"Have you seen any power-lines, generators?" She asked Juliet with haste.

"There's a generator room downstairs," Juliet replied, recalling a room with a 'Danger High Voltage' sign on it.

"Show me."

--Thirty seconds earlier--

"Cough. Call Holly. Cough," Artemis spoke to the hidden fairy communicator concealed in his palm.

He hoped the device would be able to interpret his instruction but he didn't dare 'show his hand' just yet. He replaced it in his pocket. Next would be the instruction…

--0--

"…a good game…"

Juliet kicked open the door as Holly flicked her Neutrino up to 'crispy' and bathed the humming generator in Neutrino rays. It was little more than a hunk of slag three seconds later. It spluttered and died. Then the lights went out.

--0--

Minerva flung open the French doors and walked over to the fallen chandelier. Picking up the heavy sniper rifle, she flung it into the eighteenth century fireplace where it was promptly consumed by flames.

The sniper, himself, was underneath several kilos of crystal and gold-plated chandelier. Still conscious though with an incapacitating headache due to the lump now forming on his forehead.

"My apologies, monsieur, but I doubt you would've simply let me pass. Now, if you would, s'il vous plait," Minerva said cocking the Berretta in the direction of the man's forehead. "Tell me where I can find my friend?"

The sniper crossed his eyes staring at the end of the handgun's barrel and swallowed but stayed silent.

"Monsieur," Minerva pressed the barrel lightly into the man's growing lump, "do you know how difficult it is to remove blood from a Tunisian carpet?" An empty threat but an effective one.

The man's eyes fell to the carpet beneath him then back up to the smiling face of the armed fifteen-year old.

"Downstairs, basement."

"Merci beaucoup," Minerva said, stepping across the room to the extravagantly carved double doors which led to the main hall.

Just then the lights went out.

--0--

Butler saw the lights go out, he could hardly have missed it.

"Minerva!" Butler whispered urgently.

No response. Butler took his eye off the sight of his P90. Minerva wasn't there.

'Genii,' Butler thought, 'do they expect brains to beat bullets every time?'

Butler flipped down the fairy-filter goggles, night-vision was one of the filters, and charged the mansion.

--0--

Artemis immediately pushed Theris from the path of the bullet. The guard fired. A brief flash of intense light and sound illuminated the corridor. Artemis and Theris were crouched down near the floor, the guard stood aiming into the encroaching darkness. Artemis pushed Theris up against the far wall of the corridor before taking up a similar position on his side.

Bang! Another flash. Artemis thought quickly and grabbed the man by the outstretched arm. Forcing the gun upward as the man let off another deafening shot. He lashed out with his free hand, hoping to make contact with Artemis's head and although the guard had trained in hand-to-hand it had not been with a child and so he kept missing the diminutive teenager.

Theris had joined in at this point, beating tiny fists on the man's lower extremities. The struggle was made worse by the fact no-one could see except when a flash produced a blinding black-white image on their retinas.

Bang!

--0--

Holly had replaced her helmet immediately in order to see in the pitch black and Juliet had re-adorned her night-vision goggles. They shot a quick look at each other before headed off in direction of the gunshots.

With the repetition of shots as their only guide they sprinted down a passageway beneath the staircase. Along a corridor. Down a flight of stairs. Fuelled by adrenalin and urgency, the air seemed to offer no resistance as they tore down corridor after corridor.

Both hoping and praying that they would not be too late.

--0--

Amid the struggle the sound of two pairs of boots skidding to a halt could be heard over the grunting and straining yet it seemed so far away. A sustained flash illuminated the whole corridor with an angry red light but Artemis couldn't tear his gaze from the image of pain on the guard's face. It had been Neutrino beam.

The man collapsed as strength left his body, but the image of the man's face was burned onto Artemis's retina and into his memory as he watched a man die mere centimetres from his face.

--0--

Holly fired, out of instinct, out of haste, out of urgency to save her friend's life but she realised a nanosecond too late that her Neutrino was still set to 'crispy'. She instructed her finger to stop applying pressure to the trigger but her nerve response wasn't fast enough as a beam of concentrated energy hit the man in the back.

Instantly melting the fibres of his Kevlar vest to his back, the Neutrinos continued to dissipate their energy into the flesh of their target. Rupturing blood vessels and burning flesh. When the guard felt the onslaught come to an end before the darkness growing at the edges of his vision claimed him, he felt cheated of a quick death.

Though in final honesty with himself, he knew he had caused much more painful ends in his violent career but that fact didn't console him as darkness fell.

--0--

"No!" Artemis shouted, he immediately knew the guard was dead or going to die. He'd seen it in the man's eyes. 'I will not allow humans or fairies to die when I might have prevented it'. Artemis dived down, channelling so much magic to his hands they glowed with enough blue light for him to see by.

The man was still conscious, in so much pain he was unable to express it with sound. His breath came in gasps, processing oxygen he would soon have no use for. His eyelids fluttered on the verge of welcoming a darkness from which there would be no light.

--0--

Holly and Juliet ran down the corridor, Holly having the grace to activate the halogen lamps on her helmet after she and Juliet had removed their night-vision elements. Mild light illuminated the corridor. "Heal," Artemis said, concentrating. Blue sparks flew across the man's torso and retreated out of site as they focused on the main injury on his back.

Then something happened, Artemis could 'feel' the magic repairing the man's tissue. More than that, he could command the magic. He could 'sense' the Kevlar fibres and he instructed the magic to remove them, he carefully repaired the damaged tissue and injected a magical boost to the man's general health.

The man hadn't truly 'died' and so the effort hadn't consumed any of his life force but it left Artemis drained and light-headed. He fell back into a sitting position on the floor of the corridor as Juliet, Holly and Theris stood in surprise.

The security guard opened his eyes fully to a world he hadn't expected to see. Holly, thinking like a soldier, immediately dived down and recovered the fallen handgun.

The man looked up in the dim light at the faces of people he'd hoped to kill no more than twenty seconds before. He pulled himself up to a sitting position and looked at the young boy who had brought him back.

"Why?" He asked, his voice croaky.

Artemis was panting lightly but answered, "everyone dies, not everyone truly lives."

--0--

Whereas Juliet's FN F2000 held ordinary bullets, Domovoi had replaced his clip with one which held bullets designed by Artemis. One of his patents. He had once mentioned to Butler that they were labelled 'Incapacitators' and incorporated some fairy technology. They didn't penetrate the target, instead they delivered an instant low-level Neutrino charge on contact; enough to knock out the average human for twelve minutes.

They were not to be used on fairies, however, as their smaller body mass would increase the amount of Neutrino energy absorbed and may cause permanent damage.

Then Domovoi heard the gunshots. He shot each of the guards Juliet had incapacitated with the flash bang earlier, the red Neutrino surge dissipated like electric fire across their chests, as he entered swiftly. Proceeding further he saw someone walking into the main hall, unarmed and small.

--0--

Minerva was a little surprised by the blackout, from what she'd hear this wasn't part of the plan but her IQ told her that it wasn't part of the security guard's plan either; the sniper had no night-vision equipment.

With the dim light of the fireplace from the room behind her as the only source of illumination, Minerva carefully un-cocked the Berretta and holstered it.

"Minerva?" Butler's voice permeated the dark.

"Butler, is that you?"

"Come here."

"I heard gunshots."

"Come this way."

--0--

"They have control of the mansion," Oliver Reed said. He was one of the four techies Alexis had mentioned. Who, along with his fellow researchers, was sitting, debating the current situation by torchlight in the 'control centre' of the basement level.

"We have to do something!"

"That much is obvious, Gordon!" Franc said, though being the most qualified made his statement a bit more condescending…

"Well I'm not waiting around to be shot," Gordon told them promptly before standing and walking over to the central control panel.

"Gordon, wait!" Franc shouted reading Gordon's intentions but it was already too later, the less-qualified man had already pulled the lever marked 'Emergency Lockdown: Manual Override'.

All through the underground complex; foot-think high-tensile tungsten-titanium bulkheads slid down and locked into place.

"You Idiot!" Oliver shouted, charging over to Gordon and seizing him by the lapels. "Those bulkheads are Air Tight!"

"The building has a-c, I've seen the blueprints," Gordon replied simply.

"The a-c only works if it's being powered by what is now a lump of molten metal six feet above our heads!" Franc retorted.

Gordon didn't reply as such, he simply opened his mouth in shock as the thought of dieing due to asphyxiation was not a pleasant one.


	13. Breakout

_Chapter 13: Breakout_

The sound of movement all around had at least two of the group alert and ready to respond. Though with Holly's helmet lamps the only source of light, their field of view was strictly limited. Juliet ran towards the T-shaped junction, flipping her night-vision down as she went, to where she and Holly had recently skid around just in time to see the massive metal plate slide neatly into place.

"Bulkheads! We're sealed in!" Juliet shouted as she kicked the metal barrier before she turned back to look along the other branch of the T-junction. Another barrier had slid down at the far end of this corridor but a door had opened on the left wall, about thirty meters from where she stood. Immediately the FN F2000 was pointed in that direction. What happened next she was not prepared for.

"You idiot!" Someone shouted as he flung another individual from the room they had previously occupied.

"You better pray you don't make it out of here!" Another said following the second man out of the room.

The fallen man was pleading and whimpering on the ground.

"Freeze!" Juliet shouted but, of course the techies had taken their flashlights with them and turned to face Juliet. Blinded by her own night-vision goggles, she closed her eyes, aimed for the ceiling and fired. They got the message, lowering their flashlights.

Holly, Theris, Artemis and the security guard came from the adjacent corridor to assess the situation.

"Sit!" Juliet shouted, the techies sat.

"You're responsible for this?" Juliet pointed at the barrier.

Three of the techies pointed to the one they had thrown out of the room earlier.

"This idiot initiated lockdown, air-tight. No a-c."

"That's a bit stupid," Juliet said.

"It would've been fine if someone hadn't destroyed the generator upstairs."

While Juliet was holding the techies at gunpoint, Holly walked up to the barrier and pounded on it.

"Around thirty centimetres thick," Holly estimated from the vibrations. She drew her Neutrino and aimed near the floor.

"No!" Holly was so surprised she nearly dropped her Neutrino, it was Artemis who had shouted.

"Why?" Holly asked.

"Your Neutrino weapon generates ozone, in this confined space it's toxic," Artemis answered.

"If we don't do something we'll run out of air," Holly replied quietly.

Artemis immediately sat down, cross-legged and closed his eyes.

"What's he-?" The security guard answered but Juliet cut over him.

"Quiet, Artemis is thinking."

--0--

"Hmmm," Butler said.

"What is it Butler?"

"Looks like a bomb shelter bulkhead."

"Where is it?"

"Beneath the stairs."

"Entrance to the underground facility," Minerva stated.

Butler turned to see Minerva staring into the dark.

"How did you get in?"

"I 'got the drop' on someone," Minerva said smiling in the dark. Then her expression changed to a look of confusion. "Butler… you appear to be vibrating."

--0--

"Juliet, where did you obtain your assault rifle?" Artemis enquired without opening his eyes.

"Gun shop."

Holly snorted. Artemis opened his eyes, the look was enough.

"Oh, Edinburgh airport, security locker," Juliet answered.

"Did Domovoi remove the aluminium brush case or the leather bound one?"

"Aluminium."

Reaching into his breast pocket Artemis spoke swiftly, "call Domovoi." A single ring later Butler answered.

"Artemis? Are-?"

"No time for that, I need you to give Minerva both of the fairy sonix then put her on. Time is of the essence, old friend."

Butler knew that when Artemis said 'time is of the essence' it was truly a life or death situation and handed the mobile over freely as he fished for the sonix grenades.

"Minerva you must answer quickly and accurately; how much do you know about harmonic resonance?"

"Exponential increase of vibration against a target using its resonant frequency."

"Excellent, remove the casings on the grenades; to do this you must by-pass the anti-tamper mechanism, this can be done by depressing the firing pin while-"

--0--

"A Chinese burial ground?"

Opal, who had taken out a human compact and was busy powdering her nose, didn't reply immediately.

"Yes, a pyramid of all things."

"The fabled pyramid of Qin, the first Chinese emperor?"

"Hmmm, smart Mud Boy, pity you're not on my level," Opal said dismissively, returning to her reflection.

--Some time later. DeMiral château, Edinburgh--

"You will need a small conductive element to bridge the two primary capacitors," Artemis's slightly laboured voice came through the speaker.

"Artemis, it's pitch black," Minerva replied, though not strictly true, she had re-entered the room with the fallen chandelier with Butler and was using the light from the fireplace but other than that she couldn't see more than five meters in any direction.

"Ask Domovoi if you may use the silver nugget on his ID bracelet," Artemis said softly.

"Told you it would come in handy, Bro," Juliet said over Artemis's shoulder.

To free her hands; Minerva had put the phone on speaker and so Butler had heard. He removed the ID bracelet immediately and handed it to Minerva.

"Thank you," Minerva said sincerely before returning to work.

--0--

"Answers, Councillors. I want answers! Who is Xavier Skye?" Wing Commander Vinyáya shouted as she entered the council chambers.

The council members shifted slightly in their seats, none willing to answer the fiery Wing Commander.

"I don't have to remind you, councillors! I have special dispensation Section 8 powers! I can detain each and every one of you if I have reason to believe the safety of Haven is in jeopardy!"

"Section 8 powers are suspended while lockdown is in effect," Council member Agori replied.

"That's why lockdown hasn't been lifted!" Vinyáya shouted in revelation.

--0--

Artemis tapped the tungsten-titanium alloy lightly, listening intently at the sounds produced. It had been some time since the lockdown had come into effect and the CO2 level in the enclosed space had reduced the others to laboured breathing, leaning apathetically on the corridor walls.

"It's ready Artemis," Minerva said through the phone.

"You still need to set the resonant frequency; I'd estimate it to be between eight thousand, and eight thousand and fifty hertz. To do this you must twist the small blue dial inside."

"I've got it."

"A one third turn clockwise should do it then push it down until it clicks in place."

"Done."

"Hurry Minerva."


	14. Resolutions

_Chapter 14: Resolutions_

Minerva hurriedly put the two connected sonix grenades at the foot of the first bulkhead. Then she pulled the pins and retreated to a safe distance. After a brief, five second, delay the grenades 'detonated'.

The grenades, in parallel, released two solid walls of sound resonating sympathetically with one another. When they came into contact with the crystal structure of the Tungsten-Titanium alloy they destroyed the bonds holding the atoms together at the atomic scale. The bulkheads shattered like so much sugar glass.

--A few seconds before--

"Artemis, you know what to do, I'm setting them now," Minerva told him.

"Everyone, if you are fond of your teeth, slacken your jaws and cover your ears," Artemis shouted, taking cover.

Holly had her helmet on and so could safely watch the bulkhead vibrate visibly before it shattered into a million tiny fragments.

_I__ve seen what Artemis can do_, Holly thought. _I__ve seen what Minerva can do. But both of them working together?! I__m actually glad they__re on our side_

They quickly left the underground basement; the techies at gunpoint.

They were quite warmly greeted by the sight of Butler and Minerva waiting for them.

"Butler! What would I do without you?" Holly shouted with relief.

"Artemis?" Minerva asked.

"Minerva?" Artemis replied in kind.

It was a slightly awkward moment before Artemis looked directly at Holly and she understood immediately.

"Right everyone, this way; leave the genii alone. It's a genius thing."

Once they were out of earshot, they let the silence stretch one second longer.

"Art-"

"Min-"

Both even managed to feign embarrassment at having talked over one another.

"Ladies first," Artemis said, respectfully.

"Merci," Minerva replied courteously. She took a breath.

"At first I hated you," Minerva stated simply.

"Understandable."

"You introduced me to a world of magic that I hadn't even considered when I discovered Abbott. Haven, of all places. Your adventures with Holly, Foaly, Root, Mulch. Butler showed me the files. His narrations were even more stimulating," Minerva said smiling with fond memories. "Then you left me, in the middle of Taiwan, cut off from that very world."

"Miner-"

"Of course, I realised later that you did what you did to protect me."

Artemis looked Minerva straight in the eye.

"You mightn't even be aware of it yourself."

"No, I was aware."

"But…" Minerva said, reading his reactions like the page of a book.

"Minerva, the work we could accomplish together would astound and amaze the scientific community. You are beautiful, intelligent, witty and I care for you but…" Artemis stopped and for the first time in his life he wasn't without words to say, he just couldn't bring himself to say them.

"Holly," Minerva said.

--0--

"Here," Opal flung a facemask at Xavier.

"What is it?"

"If you would recall your history," Opal drawled, "you would remember that Qin Shi's tomb contains rivers of liquid mercury. Mercury has a nasty habit of evaporating so if you plan on breathing in there and coming out alive then I suggest you put that on."

--0--

"Yes, Holly," Artemis admitted.

"Something happened between you." It wasn't a question.

"She died. I saved her. Paradox."

"You're in love."

Artemis looked at her.

"Every fibre of your being is telling you it can't be but for once your brilliant mind is being ignored. I should have realised." Minerva walked a half metre to Artemis's right, but didn't look at him, "It may interest you to know that whenever your name is mentioned, her pupils dilate, her breathing changes and… she smiles." Minerva said the last words as she walked away.

--0--

"Oh my god," Xavier breathed as he stood on earth that hadn't seen the light of day in more than two thousand years.

"What?" Opal said. She hadn't any need for a facemask as she carried the Spear of Destiny which would protect her from everything, from physical blows to mercury poisoning.

"Nothing," Xavier replied, staring up at the high dome, where hundreds, maybe thousands, of what looked like massive pearls were inlaid with gold strips connecting them in the shapes of ancient Chinese constellations.

The ground on which he stood was carved perfectly in the shape of China on a massive scale. The legends were true, rivers, rivers! of mercury flowed freely in canals around them. The dome was massive and only the outline of the burial mound could be seen on the 'horizon' from where they were. Opal had already set off, unimpressed by the antiquated architecture.

--0--

"Call Foaly," Artemis said to his fairy communicator as he followed Minerva back to the main group.

"The fairy you are trying to reach is unavailable at the moment, please try again later," came the automated response.

"Lockdown," Holly said, listening in, "we can only contact Haven when Foaly calls us."

"The situation, as it stands, is as follows," Artemis began, "Haven is in lockdown, which means no fairy backup. Three hundred and six copies of Theris's book along with its translation will be uploaded to the internet in two hours and sixteen minutes. Opal is free-"

"And trying to re-unite the Four Treasures," Holly interjected.

"Hmmm," Artemis said, processing this new information. "As it stands, Opal is unimportant at this juncture."

Holly blinked a couple of times.

"If Alexis succeeds in disseminating the fairy book worldwide, then by dawn we will be embroiled in a war the likes of which no human or fairy alive today has ever witnessed," Artemis explained.

"We have to stop them from being uploaded," Holly stated.

"Even if we enlisted Foaly, he couldn't track down three hundred and six servers in two and a quarter hours."

"Then… what?" Holly said.

"High C," Minerva said.

"I know."

"Know what, what aren't you telling us Artemis?" Butler asked.

"We still need help from Haven," Artemis said, leaving the question unanswered.

--0--

"Councillors, we can deal with Opal and Xavier if we can contact our field agent Holly Short who is currently retrieving Artemis Fowl."

Silence.

"I implore you! Help me."

"Council member Vanessa supports Wing Commander Vinyáya's motion to lift lockdown," a tall sprite said, standing.

"As does Council member Leon."

"Council member Dawn agrees."

"O'Shannon concurs."

More and more of the council members stood and announced their support.

"Thank you!" Vinyáya said, relieved.

--0--

Alexis came stumbling from the remains of the underground bunker, tripping over shards of metal bulkhead. Apparently the sonix had shattered the metallic bonds of the chair too. No longer mesmerised, she had replaced her sunglasses.

"Seize them!" she shouted at the security guard.

"No," Brent shouted back.

Butler promptly aimed and fired an Incapacitator at her. The red Neutrino charge spread across her chest and her stance faltered. She keeled over.

Artemis touched Minerva on the shoulder and pulled her away.

"Earlier. You spoke from experience."

"Yes I did. I found someone Artemis. I had held out hopes for you but… a year went by. Then two." Minerva took a breath, "His name is Ethan Weir."

Artemis nodded.

"Oh, and I fear I must apologise. The deadline for the design of Dublin's new opera house passed during your 'absence' and so I submitted a piece in your stead, I hope you don't mind."

"Naturally, I would've done the same."

"Sorry to interrupt! World crisis over here!" Holly shouted.

"Coming!" Artemis and Minerva said simultaneously. Despite every head turning to look at them neither took their eyes off each other.

"Let's go save the world; together this time," Minerva said.

"Yes; let's."

--0--

"What are they?" Xavier asked as they neared the burial mound.

"Terracotta warriors," Opal answered, not in the mood to give a history lecture.

She did take note however when her foot descended a few centimetres as it depressed a concealed switch.

One of the warriors suddenly turned and shot something at Opal's location. It froze when it came within reach of the Spear's protective power. An arrow hung in mid air.

Beautiful, a work of art in itself, the arrowhead was made of carved jade and the shaft seemed to be made of very finely carved marble with gold leaf Chinese inscription.

"Know this," Opal said, reading the Ancient Chinese, "Qin Shi Huang, Emperor of all China is protected, even in death, by those who called him _shi huangdi_."

--0--

"Artemis, do you know what will happen if she re-unites those artefacts?" Holly asked a little stunned.

"To be perfectly truthful, Holly, the People have very little idea what will actually happen," Artemis said simply.

"The Book-"

"Tells of little more than folklore and hearsay."

Holly admitted Artemis was right, of what little there was on the subject, the Book was vague as to what would exactly happen should the four items be brought together. To be honest, what she remembered most was the nursery rhyme.

'To unleash upon this age  
A peril equal to their rage,  
From darkness, evil and great hate,  
A fairy forged in fires late -  
Vessel, Spear, Sword and Stone:  
Keys to a power yet unknown.

Take heed, young fairy, and do not tarry.  
Hie thee to bed whilst this Book thou carry;  
'Tis thy defender, thy guardian wing -  
'Twill keep thee safe and sweet dreams bring.

Just a fairytale, literally, to get over-active young fairies to bed at night.

Holly nodded, "We can't prepare if we don't know what's coming."

"Good. Butler, the laptop?" Artemis asked.

"In the LearJet along with the voice recorder."

"I take it they are secreted in the safe."

"Yes."

"How quickly could you take us to Edinburgh airport?"

"Eleven minutes," Butler answered. He wasn't joking.

--0--

Xavier followed close behind Opal, well within range of the Spear's protective power. Arrows assaulted them with every step. Xavier was an observant young man - relatively, if not absolutely, speaking - and he noticed the sweat glistening on Opal's forehead. The Spear was draining her magic and she knew it.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Opal snapped. What Xavier didn't realise was that simply holding onto the Spear was extremely difficult; the flowing mercury was creating a fairly powerful electromagnetic field and this field was threatening to rip the Spear from her hand. Their advance was exhausting Opal.

No doubt it was for this reason that the arrows had no metals used in their construction.

They were close enough to read the anger inscribed on the terracotta faces of the Warriors blocking their path. The burial mound could be clearly seen now but did not appear solid.

Looking closer Xavier discovered that what he saw was a veil, a chain-mail veil. Thousands, maybe millions, of tiny metal links were welded into a curtain suspended by a cord from the domed ceiling. It was a beautiful golden shroud.

Opal realised the gold links wouldn't be affected by the magnetic field but her attention was more focused on keeping a hold of their only protection from razor sharp jade arrowheads.


	15. Lockdown, Lifted

_Many thanks to the wonderful ilex-ferox for her help with this fic!_

_I am being buried by Uni work at them moment but i'll try to keep posting!_

_Chapter 15: Lockdown, lifted_

"At forty one votes to nine, the motion is passed. Lockdown will be lifted immediately," Council Member Dawn said. One of the attendants rushed away to spread news of the judgement.

Just then a team of two techies carrying what looked like a planetarium projector, along with two council officers who were attempting to stop them, entered the council chamber.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Council Member Agori demanded.

"Apologies, Council Members, but this call is very urgent," one of the techies said, his voice betraying the effort of carrying the heavy projector.

Vinyáya dismissed the two council officers.

The techies set up the projector quickly and left without another word.

As soon as the council chamber doors closed Vinyáya's communicator buzzed. She answered it.

"Oh, you're not gonna believe this," Foaly said cryptically. Just then the projector started spinning in its gimble with an audible whine as the power built up.

--0--

Holly had explained the incident with the shadows while they were in the rental, Artemis and Minerva sat nodding, separating the facts and discarding the irrelevances. Afterwards they talked between themselves with such speed and complexity it was gibberish to everyone else.

Butler rounded corners and sped along just below the speed limit with a proficiency that would shame most rally drivers. Still, there were fewer pedestrians than in a crowded Cairo market.

As soon as they boarded the LearJet Artemis entered the complicated combination that opened the safe. Reaching in and extracting the laptop, he'd booted it up before everyone had finished sitting down.

Minerva went into the cockpit, catching the fairy communicator Artemis threw at her as she went.

To the others it seemed that each knew what the other was thinking and Holly could've sworn it had been rehearsed.

Activating the built-in web cam, Artemis reversed Foaly's spike and loaded the vision conversion software.

--0--

'Spike Detected.

Warning: Spike Detected!' Flashed up on Foaly's gas screen.

"What the-?" Foaly began.

'Tracing Spike…

Source Located.

IP:

Source Known: Artemis Fowl's Laptop

Incoming Communication. Accept Y/N ?'

Foaly thought for all of a nanosecond before hitting the Centaurian character for 'Y' on his modified keyboard.

A screen popped up, the primitive 6 megapixel video stream looked about as sophisticated as a cave painting on the state-of-the-art gas screens and Foaly mentally scoffed.

"Foaly? I need to have a word with the council… how's that new holographic projector coming along?" Artemis said.

--0--

The projector was Foaly's pride and joy; some of the techies on the project claimed he stroked the device fondly when he thought no one was looking. He also slept with the device in the cot in his lab - but no one had found that out yet.

The whirring reached a peak before thousands of tiny LED-like devices and hundreds of fairy-manufactured multi-faceted diamonds emerged from the spinning projector.

An image formed near the holographic projector, slowly coming into resolution and forming a roughly humanoid shape. A second later, generating a collective intake of breath, Artemis Fowl II stood in the Fairy council chamber.

"Councillors," Artemis said respectfully, "could someone bring Qwan and perhaps No. 1 here?" Vinyáya nodded and left.

Artemis wasted no time in explaining the situation above ground and the council sat listening, looks of concern and worry growing on their faces.

"I demand that you name this traitor at once!" Agori shouted.

"The Sprite did not give her Book to Alexis DeMiral willingly. She was drugged with sodium thiopental to render her compliant to external suggestion and her Book was taken without her knowingly giving permission," Artemis explained.

"But the translation-?"

"Obtained from a stone tablet, a family heirloom."

Agori opened his mouth then closed it, "Continue."

"There is no way the servers can be tracked down in time," Artemis said.

--0--

Foaly had routed the signal through several Ultra High Definition filters and onto several of his gas screens. He'd isolated one copy and put it through a holographic matrix generator before routing it to the projector in the council chambers.

He had been surprised when the file came through in an early format that Foaly had been using for the prototype projector before realising Artemis had no doubt taken those files when he'd reversed the spike three years previously.

As what Artemis said registered, Foaly was about to object but just then his headset rang.

--0--

Minerva was scanning for a fairy signal to lock onto, as Artemis had recommended. A few moments later she found one, lockdown had been lifted.

As Artemis said there was 'no way the servers can be tracked down…' Minerva spoke to the communicator, "Call Foaly." He answered almost immediately.

"Foaly, Artemis knows you could do it but there are other reasons he can't go into right now, there is more at stake here than you think. Trust him," Minerva said over the connection.

--0--

They passed through the golden veil and Opal immediately collapsed. The gold shroud provided a Faraday Cage which prevented the magnetic field from affecting the internal environment. With the Spear no longer pulling itself from her grasp she had allowed herself to rest.

Artemis had taken Demon magic, Warlock Demon magic, which replenished itself without a need for the Ritual. Nix had recently completed the Ritual when Opal had taken his magic that, with Opal's latent human magic, had sustained her until now but she felt completely drained.

"Are you alright?" Xavier asked, resting a hand carefully on the tall Pixie's shoulder.

"Get off me, I'm fine!" Opal snapped, throwing off the hand.

Opal's gaze fell upon the sarcophagus and through sheer force of will, and against protesting muscle, she pulled herself up erect.

--0--

Foaly considered objecting to Minerva's suggestion but realised that there really was more at stake here than he was willing to admit and if anyone could sort out this mess then it was Artemis Fowl II. Not that he would ever admit such a thing…

"What can I do?" Foaly asked Minerva.

"Design a website and host it on human servers."

"What?" Foaly asked in disbelief.

"Alexis Free Book Foundation dot com, make it look professional. Oh, and convert and upload some of the less sensitive LEP sites to the Internet."

"Has he lost it!?"

"He suspected you'd react this way. He also told me to ask you what yield of explosive device would be required to breach Haven's lockdown bulkheads?"

"Two megatons," Foaly answered resignedly.

"And how many such devices do humans possess?"

"More than I'd like to admit. Alexis Free Book Foundation dot com?"

"Yes."

"I take it he wants a gold colour scheme?"

--0--

Opal fell upon the bronze sarcophagus like a thirsty man falls on water.

"It's inside! It's mine! I have to have it!" Opal said possessed with thoughts of revenge.

Xavier picked up the Spear and held it, transfixed by Opal's fanaticism.

"It's sealed, there must be something. Some way to - open it," Opal said, scanning the bronze surface for anything that could be a latch or hinge. "There!"

There was a small depression on the side of the sarcophagus. Opal's fingers flew over it trying, with a degree of desperation, to ascertain its purpose. When she felt the latch she emitted a shrill squeal of glee.

--0--

"Is there anything we can do?" Vanessa said, a hint of pleading in her voice.

"As a matter of fact, there is," Artemis answered. "If given the chance, would not every fairy wish to live above ground?"

There was a general murmur of assent.

"What about ground that wasn't on Earth?"

"What do you mean, Artemis?" Dawn asked.

"I want to give the planet Mars to the People."

--0--

"Preposterous!"

"Lunacy, Mars is uninhabitable!"

Artemis held up his hand commandingly and was rewarded with silence.

"You are right, of course, Councillor Agori, Mars is uninhabitable now but it wasn't four billion years ago."

"What are you suggesting, Artemis?" O'Shannon asked.

Qwan, No. 1and Vinyáya entered the chamber on cue.

Since the projector also provided a feedback visual on Artemis's laptop, in addition to sound, Artemis greeted Qwan and No 1.

"I plan to create a time tunnel back to the Martian past, approximately four billion years, and move Haven and Atlantis to Mars," As Artemis spoke he transferred another file. This time the projector displayed a wire-frame green sphere and a half-size red one.

A semi-transparent tunnel formed in the space between them and two shapes within the green orb were highlighted before they were broken down, sent through the tunnel and reassembled beneath the Martian surface.

Councillor Agori burst out laughing, Dawn sat down, O'Shannon looked at the ground and several other council members made defeatist gestures.

"Artemis?" Qwan asked, just loud enough to be heard over the laughter.

"Qwan?"

"I don't see how-"

"I can explain," Artemis said simply before he hit the send command on his laptop.

The projector's whine increased by several decibels and changed tone. Thousands of shapes began to form in the air, their resolution increased and they formed mathematical equations and Gnommish symbols, gibberish to all but Artemis and Qwan.

Qwan looked up and began reading, moving under the projection to better see all the complex formulae, muttering to himself, "Hmmmm, he's on to something. Yes, yes. Hmmm."

"You are insane, Artemis Fowl," Agori said, chuckling.

"Insane. Crazy, bonkers, batty," No. 1 began. "Lost it, a few sandwiches short of a picnic, one too many marbles missing, one's cheese has slid off one's cracker. "

No. 1 had always been sensitive to stress.

"I don't think so, Council Member…" Qwan said, still reading.

"Agori."

"Well Council Member Agori, as I am the resident expert on time tunnel equations and have also seen, first hand, how intelligent this particular mud boy is, I can say that he is definitely on to something."

"Even _if _he's right, what makes him think that the People would _want _to live on Mars?"

"Wouldn't they prefer it to a war?" Artemis replied.

Agori closed his mouth.

Qwan stepped closer to the projector and spoke just loud enough for Artemis alone to hear him.

"You are aware of the energy requirements…?" Qwan asked.

Dawn had come to the same conclusion, "Artemis, there aren't enough warlocks competent in time tunnel creation to accomplish this plan."

"Council Member, there are sufficient warlocks skilled in the creation of temporal phenomena; what you are referring to is the degree of power required to move two fairy cities through four billion years and potentially several million kilometres."

"So you admit this plan is impossible?" Agori said, having found his voice.

"No, that is why I want the People's help to start World War Three."


	16. Stage Set

**A/N: my most humble of apologies... I should've updated sooner but my muse was on holiday... and I passed First Year Uni! The exam stress was terrible though... but now I'm back and will promise to try and keep the chapters coming. So if you're still there and without further a due...**

_Chapter 16: Stage Set_

* * *

"What!?" Agori shouted so loudly that his voice reverberated around the council chamber.

"Of course!" Qwan shouted, rushing about reading sections of the projected equations. "Oh. Oh. Hohoho. I said you were a genius boy, I take it back. You're way, way, way beyond that level!"

Artemis nodded complacently before addressing the council.

"I need a warlock in every major city around the planet by twelve midnight for this to work."

Dawn looked around sheepishly, "Uh, Qwan, could you explain?"

"Certainly. Young Artemis wants to convert the energy released by the detonation of this planet's nuclear arsenal into energy for the time tunnel. It's - well, it's simply genius. Mind you, the plan isn't without risk, at least for Artemis," Qwan explained.

"Why is that?" Agori asked.

"Artemis will have to be at the focus of the magic circle. He is the only one who can successfully merge magic from the different families." He turned to address Artemis, "That is if your claim to have lost your magic was a ruse?"

"It was."

"I'm afraid I still don't understand why we must put our fate in the hands of a human."

Once again Qwan provided O'Shannon with the explanation. "Artemis has Demon transfused magic - mine in fact - along with a little of his own, and he's part elf, specifically one hazel-coloured eye. It also doesn't hurt that he's intelligent enough to be able to do it. Moving every atom in two cities across space and time to a point four billion years ago is a bit of a mental challenge, wouldn't you say?"

* * *

Several kilometres above the council chambers but still beneath the surface, Opal and Xavier stood mere inches from the ancient bronze tomb deep within the Chinese pyramid.

"Have you considered what would happen if you open that?" Xavier warned.

"What?" Opal barked, her hand suspended over the latch on the ancient Emperor's bronze coffin.

"If you remember your biology, bodies have a nasty habit of decomposing," Xavier remarked wryly, handing her the Spear.

Opal snatched it from him, realising that he was correct. Then she flipped the latch.

A rush of foul air escaped the sarcophagus. The Spear drained a tiny quantity of her magic to protect her from the harmful gasses. But not from the smell. Only the thought of her revenge gave her the strength to deal with this inconvenience. Once the air had cleared, she peered into the casket, Xavier looking over her shoulder.

Clutched in the skeletal grasp of the ancient emperor lay a small stone. The Lia Fáil.

"A bit small," Xavier commented over her shoulder.

"If you remember your history," Opal said, prying the stone from the grasp of the mummy, "humans have a nasty habit of exaggeration."

"Then what is currently sitting atop a hill in Ireland?" Xavier asked as he looked at the tiny stone in her hand.

"A slab of native stone. This is the true Lia Fáil. It has changed hands countless times since it was last on Irish soil. It brought whoever possessed it long life and a long reign. This fool," Opal jerked her head in the direction of the desiccated husk, "might have lived to be hundreds of years old if he hadn't taken up eating mercury."

* * *

O'Shannon had thought of a problem. "Of course, if this works, we will be cut off from this world, trapped four billion years in Earth's past on a world which will soon become uninhabitable," he pointed out.

"The People should be safe beneath the Martian surface. However, you will be far from cut off from this world, in fact, you will be able to return as often and as easily as stepping across a room," Artemis said, unable to suppress a hint of smugness.

Qwan cocked an eyebrow.

"And how do you intend to arrange this?" Agori queried.

"A gateway."

"Gateway!" Agori stared at Artemis, disbelief written across every feature. "How exactly do you plan to construct a gateway - something which the wisest warlocks since time immemorial couldn't do - using time tunnel equations that you yourself only uncovered mere months ago?"

"I don't."

"What? Do you think it'll appear out of thin air?"

Artemis couldn't conceal a self-satisfied grin, "No, I don't plan to construct it because Foaly already has."

Two kilometres away in Section 8 headquarters, the sound of a centaur falling off his specially modified swivel chair could be heard resounding off the security walls.

* * *

The return journey to the stolen shuttle was less strenuous for Opal, they re-traced their steps, walking over already triggered traps.

"What will happen when you re-unite the treasures?" Xavier asked as Opal opened the air lock.

Opal didn't answer immediately, she sat in the pilot's chair and ran the start-up diagnostics, pulling the now omnipresent human compact from her pocket.

"They open a gateway," Opal said cryptically, starting the engines.

"To where?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Whether or not you believe in the concept of Hell," Opal said casually before she opened the throttle to full. Xavier was glad he'd declined the truffles earlier as G forces pressed him into his seat.

* * *

"The Time field portal," Artemis said simply, "augmented with a secondary silver inner ring."

"Time Portal?" Qwan asked, unaware of the more recent technological breakthroughs made in Fairy science.

"A device used to allow entry to a Time Stop field," Artemis succinctly explained.

"Oh, that Centaur I met in the shuttle made a Time Stop Portal. Hmmm, smarter than he looks."

Several miles above ground an Elf in a LearJet snorted. Loudly.

* * *

Creating the website Artemis had requested did not take long. The gold touches did make the site look very professional, Foaly admitted. The conversion of the LEP sites would be a little tricky but Minerva had said they'd only need a few. He'd hacked a private web server to host the sites, their security providing less resistance than mud to a dwarf.

Foaly had heard Artemis's announcement that he was going to give Mars to the fairies but why announce the fact that fairies exist in the first place? Especially if he knew Foaly could track down and disable all of the servers? Was he helping Alexis? No, that can't be it.

* * *

"The Ritual? Will it survive the transition to another planet?" O'Shannon questioned.

"I believe the People may be able to take acorns and earth in stasis," Artemis replied, "or they can return to perform it as needed."

"You conceived all this in less than a day?"

"The simple answer is no. I envisioned this plan when I discovered the potential applications of the Time-Tunnel equations. Although I will admit I never expected to have to implement it so soon," Artemis explained, then he smiled. "I do, however, have a requirement."

"What?" Agori demanded suspiciously.

"I want the holographic projector technology and a copy of all related materials in exchange for my services," Artemis replied simply.

* * *

"What?" Foaly choked, spraying his gas screens with masticated carrot.

* * *

The demand hung heavy in the air of the Fairy council chamber. "Why do you need them?" Dawn enquired after a moment.

"Councillors, we have less than two hours to prevent a war. I ask that you comply with my request as time is of the essence. Ask yourselves: what is best for the People?" Artemis demanded with just the right amount of feeling in his voice.

There was a moment of hushed conversation and whispers among the councilors before they reached a majority decision.

"Very well, I'll arrange for the projector to be delivered myself," Vanessa said.

"Then I suggest we begin immediately," Artemis said, before disappearing as the projector's whine died.

* * *

Opal had Xavier place the four treasures at opposite sides of the shuttle; there wasn't enough room in the shuttle for what she intended. That would require space - a lot of space.

That was the nice thing about Ireland, she decided. Not only was it where Artemis would be but it had a lot of space.

Opal hadn't elaborated further on what the four treasures would do when brought together indeed; she said very little as she continually evaluated her appearance in the mirror on the dashboard.

* * *

Artemis closed the connection and nodded in the direction of the cockpit. Minerva acknowledged the signal and radioed to get take-off clearance from the Tower.  
As Minerva expertly brought the plane to the runway for take-off, Artemis accessed the Internet using his fairy ring phone as the modem.

He then entered a long password and logged on to the Fowl Manor server. Accessing the computer system in his lab he found the program he was looking for.

His finger hovered over the return key for the briefest of moments, realising what he was about to do; then he pressed the key.

* * *

**Artemis's private laboratory, Fowl Manor, Ireland: 10:06pm**

The computer monitor flickered on.

'Secure connection established.'

'Enter Password: Aurum potestas est'

'Override: Enabled.'

'Shutoff: Disabled'

'Execute?'

Several lines of code flashed up on screen before a device sitting next to the computer came online.

It emitted a strange noise which grew to a crescendo before it, along with every electrical device within a five mile radius, shut down.

* * *

**Dining Room, Fowl Manor, Ireland: 10:06pm**

"A candle lit dinner, you shouldn't have," Angeline said, grateful that they had decided to leave the twins with a babysitter until tomorrow.

"For my Angel, anything," Artemis senior called from the kitchen. He was cooking!

He emerged and leaned against the door frame carrying a bottle of champagne. 1971 Dom Pérignon Oenotheque.

"You must have read my mind," Angeline said, smiling.

"Oh, great minds and all that," Artemis said as he pushed himself off the door frame and carried the champagne towards the table.

Just then all the electric lights went out and Artemis tripped, sending the bottle flying.

Angeline caught it before it broke. €1890 a bottle ...

"Darling, are you alright?" Angeline asked, squinting in the candle light.

"Yes, I just can't move my leg."

* * *

Holly watched the young man manipulate the laptop's keyboard. Moments ago he had negotiated with the fairy council, handling it with the cool and calm of a veteran poker player. Even after the communication ended he stayed professional, always playing five moves ahead. Then something happened, the poker face slipped and she saw a boy wrestling with his inner demons, his finger fighting the impulse to hit the key.

The struggle lasted only a moment before he hit the key and regret at doing so passed like a shadow over his pale features.

"What's up, Artemis?" Holly asked, concerned.

"Nothing, it's just... something I had to do."

* * *

Angeline opened the front door while, at the same time, supporting her husband. His bio-hybrid leg a complete dead weight.

"Do this for all the girls?" Angeline asked as she half-carried Artemis Senior to the car.

"Only the stunningly beautiful ones."

"Oh, lucky me."

Artemis looked at her and smiled.

Although Angeline was unaware of the fact, her son had insulated all the Fowl fleet against the effects of an Electro-Magnetic Pulse after the Tibetan Incident. Just as well, or she wouldn't be going anywhere.

Angeline helped her husband into the passenger seat of the Bentley before getting in and securing her own seatbelt.

"I'm glad we have insurance for this kind of thing," Angeline remarked, starting the engine.

* * *

"Can he do it, Vinyáya?" Councilor Dawn asked the elfin Commander.

"My late friend, Julius Root, once put his trust in that boy; he was not disappointed," Vinyáya said, leaving with Qwan and No. 1 in tow.

* * *

"Butler, did you manage to secure all the items on the list I gave you?" Artemis asked the manservant as he stared out through the window, just catching a glimpse of the Irish coastline.

"My contact was a little surprised by the... quantity but it's all sitting in the back of the Phantom we hired."

"Excellent, when we land we need to get to Fowl Manor as soon as possible. Hopefully my family will be otherwise occupied," Artemis said, extracting the now familiar golden ring.

* * *

"Yes?" Vinyáya said, answering her private communicator.

"Wing Commander Vinyáya?"

"Fowl? How did you get this number?"

"Let's just say I have friends in low places. You should be on your way to Section eight headquarters by now."

Vinyáya looked out of the window of the car, the same car she'd used to take Holly and Mulch to HQ three years previously, this time Qwan and No. 1 were her companions.

"I assume you didn't call to chat."

"I need Foaly to trigger the nuclear missile defence system in the States, the United Kingdom, Russia and China."

"We haven't hacked Mud Man security that seriously since Google Earth went public."

"I'm sure Foaly is up to the challenge but if necessary he may ask for my assistance."

"You do know how to press his buttons, don't you?"

"I will also require a Time Field Portal delivered to Fowl Manor and as much silver as you can gather. Begin recalling all field agents, save Holly of course, or order them to escort the warlocks."

"All warlocks have already been contacted, a few of the stronger pacifists said no but we have enough according to Qwan's estimate."

"Could you put Qwan on?"

"Qwan? Artemis would like a word."

* * *

Foaly polished off the last LEP site and hosted it on a human server. He was fairly sure what he'd just done was highly illegal but Artemis had council approval so his defence was pretty secure.

The high security doors behind him opened once again.

'Why don't we install a turnstile?' Foaly thought as he turned to see who had entered.

"Foaly - do you like war games?" Vinyáya asked cryptically.

* * *

Since the only two genii were otherwise engaged, general chatter broke out between Holly, Juliet and Domovoi as their flight to Ireland drew to a close.

"You had a beard!?"

"I was blending in with the natives," Butler answered Holly.

"You should've seen it," Juliet said giggling, "Myles called him Santa."

"Myles?" Artemis asked, looking up from examining Holly's new helmet. Silence filled the plane.

"Who is Myles?" Holly asked.

"I am a brother, Holly."

"Myles and Beckett Fowl," Butler said.

There was a moment's silence in the plane before Holly reached over and punched Artemis playfully on the shoulder.

"Dibs on babysitting, at least once."

* * *

Opal took the Sword, Spear and the Stone but left the Cauldron to be hefted by Xavier.

They were trudging through an Irish corn field, after Opal had docked at the old abandoned shuttle port under Knocknasheega, they had headed in the direction of the Fowl ancestral home.

"Put the Cauldron over there," Opal said dismissively as she sunk the tip of the Sword into the soft earth. She walked six paces and did the same with the Spear. The Cauldron, Spear and Sword formed a triangle with the stone in the centre. Opal then began chanting under her breath while walking between the artefacts.

"Forgotten something?" Xavier asked, leaning against the Cauldron.

"The mantra. I can't recall the pronunciation of 'chaos' in the ancient tongue," Opal said frustrated at her lapse of memory.

"Isfet."

Opal froze and turned to face Xavier, eyebrow cocked in surprise. "How...?"

"I have eidetic memory," Xavier explained.

"Isfet. Yes," Opal resumed her pacing and her mutterings but she kept an eye on the mysterious teen.

* * *

Minerva executed a perfect touchdown, textbook. She efficiently parked the Learjet at one of Dublin airport's private hangers and began the post-flight check.

"Thank you, Holly," Artemis said, handing back the helmet as the plane came to a complete stop.

Holly was about to reply but Artemis quickly stood and, taking the laptop with him, he opened the aircraft door and deployed the stairs.

Minerva quickly completed the post-flight check and followed Artemis out of the aircraft.

Butler and Juliet followed while Holly handed Theris some Camfoil and shielded before leaving to catch up with the others.

* * *

"Yes, I'll need another emitter over... there," Qwan said, pointing over Foaly's shoulder, to a spot on the map of Haven being projected on the main gas screen.

The emitter to which he was referring was one of the Time Stop emitters that were used during the Fowl Manor seige.

"Excuse me - just trying to start a world war here... just grab -" Foaly looked around his crowded booth in Section 8's 'Top Secret' HQ and pointed at a random passing gnome, "him and tell him what you need."

The reason why Foaly's booth was so packed was that it was also the HQ for the time-tunnel formation project. Qwan was running the show and had organised a dozen of the Time Stop emitters to be set up all around Haven and Atlantis to facilitate the dematerialization during what the news channels were calling 'the Exodus'.

Qwan went to talk with the gnome who, until a few hours ago, had only seen a Demon in a history textbook and was looking understandably nervous.

Foaly was stressed, it was times like this when he missed Caballine the most.

Then he started to hack into the Chinese Missile Defence Department.

**A/N: Now as you have no doubt realised... the end is nigh. Well... there are a few chaps left but what I mean to say is this is the beginning of the end... if that's any clearer...**


	17. Return to Fowl Manor

_**A/N: Oh Sorry, If I'd known being an 18 year old was this stressful, I would've stayed a 17 year old...**_

_Chap 17: Return to Fowl Manor_

* * *

Xavier leaned against the cauldron silently listening to Opal's mutterings and using his knowledge of Ancient Egyptian to translate them.

He still wasn't entirely sure this wasn't some elaborate and very bizarre nightmare but he had a feeling it was real.

Assuming that Opal has also been a prisoner at 'Howlers Peak' what was her crime? Of course she might just be as 'innocent' as he, locked away for simply knowing that something exists. Maybe the entire fairy legal system was ridiculous and unjust.

Then the anger came. One hundred and twelve years! He hadn't been woken once in that time, he would have remembered. That was the curse of being able to recall at will any memory in exact detail, even his dreams were etched into the neurons in his brain.

He had been locked away and forgotten! A century and more spent in a cell, a lifetime. His mother died never knowing she'd even given birth to him.

His hand involuntarily clenched into a fist and he fought back tears. He'd help Opal; he'd help her get her revenge then he'd exact his own.

They had taken away everything he'd ever cared about. What else did he have to lose?

* * *

Butler held open the boot of the rented Phantom for Artemis to inspect the cargo.

"Excellent Butler. The detonator?"

"A... friend of mine gave me this," Butler said, extracting a small box from the contents of the boot.

"It can be used as a timer," Butler explained handing Artemis the device, "or, if need be, this section can be removed and used as a remote detonator."

"Very useful, you must introduce me to this friend of yours some time, Butler."

"She's a bit shy."

"In any case, we should be going," Artemis replied.

Once everyone, visible or otherwise, was in the car Butler began the relatively short drive to Fowl Manor. They passed a Bentley as they left Dublin but the driver was too busy laughing to notice.

* * *

"Oh, damn," Artemis Senior said as the couple entered Dublin.

"What's up, dear? Cramp?"

"No, it's just if I don't get this fixed soon it'll be back to peeing sitting down."

The car swerved slightly in response to Angeline's laughter.  
"Oh don't, I'm driving!"

* * *

'They tried to lock me away, forget about me. Well, I'll show them. Soon there won't be a fairy alive who doesn't know and fear the name, Xavier Skye!'

The rage grew cold in his veins but a sudden movement to his left distracted him.

Opal had stopped muttering and the stone, at the centre of the formation of artefacts, began to levitate and spin.

"Unleash your power," Opal spoke in the ancient tongue.

The spinning rock responded by bursting into flame, a light blue flame like that of an old gas lamp.

A black viscous substance began dripping off the stone and pooling on the soft earth. Xavier was surprised but he'd seen so many nightmarish images recently that the feeling didn't last. He still gasped, however, when the substance coalesced and took form.

The form morphed into a roughly humanoid shape, though without facial features.

The creature opened its 'mouth' and sighed, "Who summons me?"

* * *

Eight minutes and twenty seven seconds after the first keystroke, Foaly had access to the Chinese Missile Defence System. It would've been too difficult to hack the missile launch codes directly, that order could only come from the head of state. Instead, he was going to fool the Chinese radar into thinking the country was under attack from nuclear warheads, China would retaliate and he would take control of the missiles en route. Simple. Although if he failed, Foaly would be responsible for turning the surface of the planet into radioactive slag.

'Me. Fail. Like that could happen,' Foaly thought confidently.

He still needed access to the other defence systems before he could orchestrate a war. So he began searching for the back-door to the Pentagon.

* * *

"Holly, earlier in the underground bunker, I could 'feel' the Kevlar fibres in the guard's back. I was able to remove them, but when you healed Butler-" Artemis queried.

"Any junior warlock can differentiate between living tissue and artificial fibres, if the patient doesn't resemble a mini iceberg that is. No offence Butler."

Butler chuckled.

"So-"

"No, Artemis, you don't have some super powerful magic just because you're human. Although since the People don't know anything about Mud Man magic, I can't say for certain."

"Not even the historical records?"

"There were lots of skirmishes back then, between Mud Man and Fairy, whole Fairy forts raided, records destroyed, Mud Men nearly destroyed Atlantis before we managed to submerge it. But all that was ten thousands years ago, before Taillte."

Artemis quietened for a moment, processing the new information.

* * *

"Hmmm, these bulkheads... we'd better close them," Qwan said, indicating Haven's blast doors.

He was standing in Haven Central Park, overseeing the installation of one of the Time Stop emitters, surrounded by a swarm of technicians.

"Um, I don't think that's possible," the gnome replied.

"You can construct devices capable of stopping time in a controlled space but can't close a metal door?"

"Well they aren't designed to close when Lockdown isn't in effect, it's a safety procedure."

"And how safe do you think it will be if Haven re-materializes next to a magma plume?"

"I, er... I'll go see if..."

"Yes, you go do that."

* * *

"This is Vinyáya, what is the progress of team six? Over," Vinyáya's voice came over the field communicator.

"Team six here, we've dropped off three warlocks with sheets of camfoil, still got four more drop sites to go. Estimated time to mission completion, thirty minutes. Over."

"Cutting it close there, Sergeant."

"Always do, Commander. Over and out."

"Manor Team, come in."

"This is Manor Team. En route to Fowl Manor now, shuttle handles like a dwarf with all this silver in the back. Over."

Vinyáya chuckled over the connection. "What's your ETA?"

"Twenty minutes."

"Frond's speed, pilot. Over and out."

* * *

"I, Opal Koboi, summoned you!"

The creature lashed out at Opal with surprising agility but its attacking arm struck an invisible barrier mere inches from Opal's head.

The barrier flashed white where struck and to Xavier it had seemed, for a moment, to resemble the wing of some giant bird.

Opal calmly reached inside her jumpsuit and extracted a thin chain that had been around her neck, hanging from it was her copy of the Fairy Bible.

She dangled it playfully in front of the creature, an inane grin on her face. It growled in response.

Xavier had jumped slightly when the creature struck out and now it seemed to notice him standing there. Opal too followed its gaze.

"Legion, you will not harm him," Opal commanded threateningly.

The creature grunted a response but it lashed out at Xavier before he could move to dodge. No white shield flared up to protect him but the blow never landed. The creature had stopped of its own volition, millimetres from Xavier's face.

The arm withdrew menacingly before the creature turned to 'face' Opal.

"What do you want?" Legion rasped.

* * *

"Tell him it can't be done," Foaly said with an exhausted sigh.

The gnome who was trying to find a way to close Haven's Lockdown bulkheads had gone to the fairy who knew most about the system. Foaly.

"Qwan said it would be very bad if Haven materialized next to an active magma plume," the gnome offered.

"No doubt it would. But the system was designed to protect the city from natural disasters, plague and pings, not dematerialization; the system ties into thirty six independent functions, from magnastrip power to lighting sun strips, only one of which are the Lockdown bulkheads. I am attempting to start a nuclear exchange with enough firepower to reduce the surface of this planet to ashes and if I get one more interruption I swear to Chiron I will kick that person's-. Ah, Commander Vinyáya."

"Foaly, how's things?" Vinyáya asked as she entered the HQ. The gnome scurried away.

"Barring interruptions, quite good. We have twenty six time stop emitters set up, sixteen in Haven, ten in Atlantis. All top-side sites have been evacuated and self-destructed. Thirty seven warlocks are in place, camouflaged and standing by. I have control of the radar systems in China, the U.S. and Russia. I'm working on the United Kingdom's just now; they invented the Mud Man's version so I'm expecting theirs to present more of a challenge. On top of it all, I had a techie program this before I sent him top-side," Foaly explained, indicating a monitor Vinyáya hadn't noticed before.

'Time remaining: 00:47:24' was displayed in ominous red numerals.

"Things are about to get very interesting," Vinyáya said quietly.

"I don't envy you," Foaly said. "Have you told the council yet?"

"Told them what?"

"Er... didn't Qwan...?"

"No, what is it Foaly?"

"Um, well. Gold. Qwan told us that the concentration of gold in Haven Central Bank will interfere with the dematerialization. He wants the building evacuated and the demat field to exclude the building altogether."

"Foaly, there's more than twenty metric tonnes of gold in that building, not to mention the life savings of every fairy in Haven. There's the ransom fund in there too!"

"Qwan did suggest that we could take some with us but we'd have to ionise it, to counteract the dimensional anchoring effect."

"How do you ionise twenty or so tonnes of gold?"

"We'd have to use Haven's central reactor and a particle accelerator."

"Suppose, just for the sake of argument, that we didn't have access to a particle accelerator and couldn't divert power from the central reactor without losing the pressure bubble supplying Haven with breathable air. How could we achieve similar results?"

"Haha, you'd have to set every Neutrino that the LEP has to overload, inside the main vault," Foaly said, chuckling. Then he saw the look on Vinyáya's face. "You're not serious?"

"Get me commander Vein."

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:43:37'**

Artemis was broken from his thoughtful reverie by the sight of a spire piercing the night's sky a few hundred metres from the edge of Dublin.

"Butler, what is that?" Artemis asked indicating the tower.

"One of DeMiral Industries 'Free-Net' towers. They are basically Internet cafes with free access to the public. The tower also broadcasts free wi-fi access."

"DeMiral Industries was primarily a pharmaceutical and medical technology company three years ago, has it expanded into other areas other than the telecom business?"

"I regret that I may have allowed your order of the Financial Times to lapse in your absence Artemis," the bodyguard replied.

"My order is still valid," Minerva said looking up from the laptop, "DeMiral Industries has extensive holdings in several computer technology companies and had invested extensively in the ITER power plant and the development of space technology. They completely funded the last mission to the moon, in return for the integrated systems contract for the first lunar colony, construction of which is expected within the next five years."

Artemis absorbed this quietly. "Minerva, what do you know about Alexis or Alexander DeMiral?"

"Assuming that 'Alexander' is a pseudonym for Alexis, she has been busy. She owns extensive art collections. She is rumoured to own the Amber Room from the Catherine Palace in St. Petersburg, or at least a very accurate facsimile. British Manors, French castles and a renovated Swiss cathedral are among her more... lavish residences."

"I see," Artemis said, falling silent again.

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:38:58'**

"You," Opal commanded the creature, "will attack all Mud Men warriors in the name of the People."

"What?" Xavier shouted, in surprise, "that wasn't part of our agreement."

"Be silent," Opal said, dismissively, "you will have your revenge. Legion cannot attack the fairy people; ancient magic protects us, but it can start a war for us. Humans will retaliate against the People and then you can exact whatever retribution you wish. There are six billion Mud Men on this planet, the price of your revenge is a mere hundred thousand." Opal lowered her voice and layered it with a hint of the _mesmer_, "Legion will only harm warriors, soldiers, those who do wrong themselves; no innocents will be harmed."

Xavier, his mind clouded by the _mesmer_, nodded agreement. Opal turned back to Legion and smiled, "Now, my pet, we decide when to strike."

The ominous sound of laughter echoed through the empty corn field.

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:36:17'**

"Let me get this perfectly straight, Wing Commander," Agori said, disbelievingly, "you want to completely disarm the LEP on the eve of a possible war with Mud Men, with Opal Koboi on the loose, who is possibly armed and very dangerous?"

"The LEP will have the DNA stun cannons and other arms at their disposal. However, consider the economic ruin that will befall us if this plan isn't executed, Councillors. The life savings of every fairy will be lost; there would be chaos."

The councillors took a brief moment to discuss the proposal before Agori stood and walked out.

Dawn stood and smiled at Vinyáya, "Motion passed, provided you get Commander Vein's consent."

Vinyáya indicated her handheld computer, on the touch-screen a fingerprint was displayed.

"I already have Commander Vein's permission. By your leave?"

Dawn nodded and Vinyáya left the council chamber in the direction of Haven Central Bank. Dawn smiled after her.

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:32:56'**

"Damn," Holly said, half to herself, "I should complete the Ritual."

"Holly, how old is the Ritual?" Artemis asked, absently.

"No one knows, it pre-dates fairy history. Some of the older religious cults say it was taught to the People by the Goddess, loonies the lot of them," she said with distaste.

"Religions often have a basis in fact," Artemis replied sagely.

"This is the same cult that claims, 'the best cure for a sore throat is a poultice of dung and old socks' so I suppose you're going to tell me to raid my sock drawer next time I feel a bit off colour?"

Theris snorted.

"The Ritual came to my ancestors," Theris stated, defensively, "through meditation and spirit quests."

"You're a Danubite?" Holly laughed.

"Yes," Theris said, still on the defensive.

"A Danubite?" Artemis asked.

"A member of a religious-," Holly chose her words carefully, "sect who worships the old gods. The sect has pre-Frond dynasty origins. They were among the most fanatical warriors at Taillte."

Artemis didn't ask what Holly meant by 'most fanatical' as the rented Phantom pulled into Fowl Manor's driveway.

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:32:29'**

"I want to see it on his face," Opal said, her voice full of venom, "the defeat, the pain, the humiliation. The moment he thinks he is most powerful, I want to strike him down. Last time I was content to simply set in motion the actions that led to his demise but each time I was thwarted. This time I want to see the life leave his body. I want to look into his eyes at the last moment and I want him to know that in the end I, Opal Koboi, finally defeated him."

Xavier shook off the _mesmer_, aware that something was wrong but unsure as to what exactly.

"Attack on my word," Opal continued, she walked over and extracted the spear from the earth. She threw it at Xavier who caught it deftly. She collected the sword for herself and used it to point to a building in the distance.

"I will have my revenge, Artemis Fowl!" Opal shrieked in the direction of Fowl Manor.

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:31:59'**

Butler parked the rented Phantom neatly in the empty driveway before retrieving the cargo from the boot. Theris stretched her legs and her wings but after spending the last six years with barely enough room to stand, never mind fly, she limited herself to a mere six feet off the ground. She followed Butler and watched him with interest.

Artemis and Minerva headed immediately towards the Manor and Holly had shot out of the car even before it had stopped. Her mission was to find the LEP team carrying the Portal and her best chance was from the air.

Artemis slid his key into the lock and turned. The lock seemed heavier somehow.

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:31:12'**

"Well... the lights aren't on," Tovin whispered from behind a rhododendron.

Tovin, and the remainder of the 'Manor Team' LEP squad were strategically hidden within the grounds of Fowl Manor with the Time-Stop Portal, and as much silver as they could carry, tucked behind one of the larger oak trees which stood at the rear of the Manor.

"Um, didn't he technically invite us?" his subordinate whispered back.

"No, it wouldn't stand up in court," Tovin replied.

"So what, we wait?"

A distant, unintelligible cry echoed through the night air.

"What was that?" the subordinate asked.

"Tsk, tsk, next you'll be playing eye-spy," Holly said resolving into the visible spectrum.


	18. Home Sweet Home

**A/N: ****Apologies for the delay. To recap what's happened so far... Artemis is fighting on two fronts. In a bid to counter the machinations of the ruthless billionaire, Alexis de Miral, who has plans to reveal the fairies' existence, he is attempting to move the People to Mars. At the same time he faces an increasingly deranged Opal and her human accomplice, Xavier, who has a long-standing grudge against the fairies. Opal has conjured up an ancient power, Legion, to help her decimate humanity's armed forces to make way for an inter-species war. Situation normal for a criminal mastermind.**

Chap 18: Home Sweet Home

* * *

**'Time remaining: 00:30:22'**

"Commander Vein," Vinyáya said over the communicator, "Council approval acquired. Empty the armoury of all Neutrinos and cart them over to the Central Bank." Vinyáya was being driven to the Bank in her private Section Eight transport.

"I'm already there. Do you want them inside the main vault?" Vein replied, his voice echoing slightly due to the building's acoustics.

Vinyáya smiled. "Acting without orders? You could be court-martialled for that."

"You say that like the Council could resist your persuasive personality."

"If I didn't know better I'd think you were bucking for promotion," Vinyáya said, her smile evident in her voice.

Vein chuckled then talked to someone out-of-range of the communicator.

"Hmmm," Vein continued, "there are two Neutrinos missing."

"Well, Holly has one but the other? You haven't seen Mulch lately?"

The Commander chuckled, it was true that, even after three years of monitoring, the reformed kleptomaniac hadn't stuck as much as a hairy toe out of line. "I doubt it was Mulch, truth be told, he's probably helped us bring in more smugglers and thieves over the last year than I thought lived in Haven, but still, I'll have a corporal look for it."

"Thanks, Commander, I'll be there in a few minutes."

"I'd hoped to be finished before you got here."

Vinyáya smiled as she closed the connection.

**'Time remaining: 00:28:03'**

"Ahem."

Artemis and Minerva spun round to see Theris hovering in the doorway.

"Sorry, Theris, you are welcome here for now," Artemis invited, choosing his words.

"Thank you, Mud-Boy," she replied, happily flying into the foyer after them. "Nice place, I bet it looks better with the lights on though," Theris completed, flicking the foyer light switch. The chandelier did not pour forth light.

"Electro-Magnetic Pulse," Artemis explained, "there is back up circuitry in the wine cel-," Artemis halted mid-word. Something had brushed past his leg in the darkness.

"Holly?" Artemis ventured. No reply.

"Wow! Archimedes! Back in the house!" Three heads turned in the direction of the door as Butler, carrying the explosives from the boot, shouted at something.

A ferret stood on its hind legs and looked quizzically at Butler before running back into the Manor and disappearing into the gloom.

Several eyebrows were raised as Butler entered and deposited the Phantom's cargo on the marble tiles.

"Oh. That's Archimedes, Myles's pet ferret. He's harmless. At least I think it's a he," Butler offered.

**'Time remaining: 00:27:58'**

'Well, I'm not going to be held responsible for Haven getting filled with magma,' thought the gnome who had taken the Neutrino. He had - rather bravely in his opinion - decided to take matters into his own hands and had taken it to the bulkhead control centre.

The centre was completely automated and was guarded by an aged elf who was asleep at his post. The gnome walked straight past him and into the centre.

The architecture was not modern but it was functional. It had been one of the first buildings built in Haven when the People moved underground. The entry arch even bore the names of the building's founders, a now old and often forgotten tradition.

The noise of hydraulic machinery humming away was a foreign one. The centre used an antiquated computer controller connected to hydraulic pistons to hold the mammoth bulkheads open. The main control unit was around here somewhere.

After a few minutes searching he found what he came for.

---

Foaly ground his teeth together, a spine-tingling sound for those who've never heard it.

This was the eighth high-strength firewall he had to penetrate to gain access to the United Kingdom's radar system, and it was getting on his nerves.

'Calm it, Foaly,' he thought to himself, 'they're just Mud Men, you could hack this system in your sleep. They always have a backdoor in these programs. Okay, access port 29, ping, run emulator…'

---

"Stand to attention!" Commander Vein shouted as Vinyáya entered the vault.

"At ease, boys. I'm just here to see all goes smoothly. Report Commander," Vinyáya said coolly.

"The building and a three block radius has been evacuated, just in case something goes wrong and this place gets left behind. We've also collected any personal belongings made of gold from civilians and had them stored in the vault. Qwan tells me that silver is too strong to be ionised so a few fairies have had to say goodbye to some pretty valuable silverware. Considering the circumstances they took it well," Commander Vein answered.

"Excellent," Vinyáya replied, "how long till we can begin ionisation?"

"We're just waiting for Qwan to arrive, he wants to check things."

---

Butler had switched the Manor's electrical wiring over to electromagnetically shielded variants using the switchboard Artemis had indicated. Once again light flooded the Manor and the grounds, surprising six elves and a Sprite.

"Oh, it is nice in here," Theris commented, looking around. "Was someone having dinner?" she asked when she saw the table set up in the dining room.

"Yes," Artemis answered, "my parents."

Holly whistled from the doorway, "Delivery, where do you want this?" Holly and six elves from the Manor Team were carting a large metallic ring onto the doorstep of the Manor. Butler rushed to help them, easily lifting the ring from their grip.

Artemis didn't invite the Manor Team in, they would have to return to Haven. Holly conversed with their commanding officer while the other members of the team deposited the silver on the Manor's doorstep.

After the Manor Team departed, Holly and Butler hefted the silver inside. Butler used brute strength; Holly preferred her Moonbelt and wing rig.

---

The gnome felt smug at his own initiative before flicking the neutrino up a few power levels and levelling the barrel at the machinery.

He let loose with a wide stream of high-energy Neutrinos. The hydraulics groaned and burst, releasing the high pressure fluid that held open the mechanism for the Lockdown bulkheads.

Around Haven Lockdown bulkheads slid into place, isolating Haven from the outside world. Unfortunately, the Neutrino pulse followed the quickest route to earth. This happened to be through the control circuit interface of the computer and the city power grid.

---

"Yes, that's it. Just over there. Left a bit-," Qwan instructed as the workers used an A-frame to position the last Time-stop emitter.

"Perfect!"

Then the sunstrips went out, plunging Haven into total darkness.

---

"Gotcha!" Foaly said triumphantly, leaning back in his modified swivel chair and selecting a particularly juicy carrot from the stash beneath his console.

Sniffing the carrot, he let out a satisfied sigh and bit into it, just as the lights and his entire computer system lost power.

Foaly blinked several times just to make sure he hadn't gone blind. Then he swore. A dwarf two miles away heard him.

---

"We have twenty-five minutes in which to prepare, I suggest we work quickly. Butler, we'll need the welding equipment and supplies from the workshop," Artemis directed as they sat around the conference table. Butler nodded and left. "Holly, if I could borrow your helmet I could set up a live feed from Haven, that way we can synchronise our efforts. Minerva, if you could look over the specs for the Time-stop portal, I'd appreciate your input."

"Certainly."

Theris had struck up a strange friendship with Archimedes and was quietly whispering to him while she hovered overhead.

---

**Haven Central Power Distribution Centre**

"The power surge originated in sub-grid forty-seven. Nodes thirty-two through sixty-seven have been fried. Re-routing is complete. Power transfer from Atlantis in three, two, one."

Throughout Haven sunstrips re-ignited, flooding the city, once again, with light.

---

"It's no use. The transistors are completely fused. And there are no replacement parts to boot, that is unless one of you techies keeps a rutile-based semiconductor under your tunics?" The head techie declared, dejected.

"If the other emitters were hooked up to the grid, then won't they be damaged too?" No. 1 asked Qwan.

"More than likely. If we can't project the dematerialization field over Haven then that's it, especially with such a high concentration of gold slap bang in the middle," Qwan replied.

"How does the emitter work?" No. 1 said, curious.

"Well, I'm guessing here since I've only had a glance at the specs, but it looks like the emitter projects an energy field that is interwoven with magic. We were so close, if only there were a way of projecting a strong enough field over all of Haven," Qwan explained with a sigh.

"Well," No.1 mused, "what about that?"

No. 1 stuck out a stubby finger and pointed to something overhead.

"Well I-" Qwan said, thinking, "I think … you might be on to something."

---

"No, no, no-" Foaly said, hitting his head on the console with each repetition. So engrossed was he, he failed to notice Commander Vinyáya enter Headquarters.

"Foaly! Report!" Vinyáya demanded. She was a leader and knew that the best way to handle situations like these was not to molly-coddle people but to force them into action.

"I lost it. Everything. The computers went down. I lost the connections. Equipment was damaged by the surge," Foaly explained.

"Foaly! All of Haven is counting on you! If you don't get those missiles fired then there will be no energy for the Time-Tunnel and by morning-" Vinyáya began.

"No, you don't understand. There isn't enough time, I could do it if I had time but -" Foaly shook his head and swallowed, "sixteen servers are down, we've lost ninety-seven percent of our connections top-side. Finding an active link into the Mud-Man systems would be like looking for a beetle in a dwarf's beard."

"Think Foaly, think. There must be a way. Some way, a backdoor, a direct satellite link, a floating server. I can get you the staff and equipment but you have to find a way," Vinyáya urged.

"Wait a minute," Foaly said, he was remembering an old project he'd been working on. It was risky, there were more bugs in it than Mulch's breakfast but it could be the only way.

Hope filled him as he spoke, "Get me the mind wiping equipment from storage room six." Vinyáya looked puzzled. "I don't have time to explain right now," Foaly declared as he re-booted his console. "Just trust me."

And she did.

---

"I can't lock onto a fairy satellite signal," Artemis said, frustrated.

"Try the lower bands, we sometimes switch over to them if background noise gets too loud," Holly offered.

"What is Adaminium?" Minerva asked, looking up from poring over all available data on the Time-Stop Portal.

"It's an alloy of Titanium, Carbon and Ununhexium, I think. It's been a while since I've done high school chemistry," Holly answered, wracking her brains.

Despite the fact that the question of how the fairies had managed to create stable Ununhexium was burning her tongue, Minerva returned the schematic.

---

"You want to do what?"

"We _need_ to use Haven's power grid to project the energy field. Thankfully the second Portal wasn't hooked up to the grid at the time but every emitter in Haven was damaged. The only way to project a field strong enough to cover the entire city is to use the power grid," Qwan explained.

"The cables are insulated, they can't project E.M. fields."

"They aren't insulated against magic," Qwan stated.

---

"Risky, huh?" Vinyáya said as she watched a techie attach electrodes to Foaly's skull.

"It's the only way. A normal wipe reads the subject's memories and selectively erases those flagged by the system. Instead of erasing them, this new program interprets them as instructions and executes them," Foaly explained.

"So why haven't I heard about this before now?" Vinyáya asked.

"There have been some issues with neural feedback," Foaly said simply as he raised a helmet covered with electrodes preparatory to slipping it on his head.

Vinyáya laid a hand on Foaly's arm before he could slip the helmet on. "Foaly, is this dangerous?"

"Dangerous? Yes. Life threatening? No," Foaly answered, not looking at her. Vinyáya let go and Foaly took a breath before donning the helmet.

* * *

**A/N: That's all for this chapter... I'll write when I can but keep an eye on my Drabble Bank...**


End file.
